The Machines de L’Île
Ready to channel your inner child? Cross the river to Île de Nantes and enjoy a ride on the Grand Elephant or play with the sea creatures on The Carrousel des Mondes Marins. You can’t help but smile at the mechanical fairy-tales of The Machines de L’Île.
Born from the imagination of Francois Delaroziere and Pierre Orefice, The Machines de L’Île brings to life the fantastical stories of French novelist Jules Verne, whilst also paying homage to the industrial heritage of the city. At the Gallery, mechanical caterpillars and cranes wow visitors. And, don’t miss out on a visit to the workshop where the magic happens. It is guaranteed fun for the young, and the young at heart. lesmachines-nantes.fr/en
Follow the green line
Every year during summer months, there's a trail of creative discoveries so that visitors and locals can explore the city and
find surprises en route. Indicated by a lime green paint line running along the streets, The Voyage à Nantes is a 12 km trail that zigzags in and out of elegant squares, taking in major sites as well as back-streets. You’ll uncover unexpected works of art dotted around the city, which might include a stackable chair roller-coaster, tree climbing bears or random sculptures.
Look out for the Micro’Home by Myrtille Drouet on Rue Du Puits-d’Argent. The quirky house is 5m above ground, at 2m wide it contains a living room/kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. It’s an imaginative way of life in the city and you can actually stay in it too. Book with www.nantes-tourisme.com
Artists have reinvented shop signs as imaginative interpretations, injecting fun into shopping. Whenever there is a painted eye along the green line, you're sure to find a surprise above. Most art installations are temporary, but some are so loved by locals they have become permanent fixtures.