Les Machines de l'Île
Inside a former shipyard on the Île de Nantes, a team of visionary artists and engineers has built a parallel world populated by colossal steam-punk creatures. The Grand Éléphant — a 12-metre, 48-tonne walking machine — carries up to 49 passengers through the streets while spraying water from its trunk.
A World Built from Jules Verne's Imagination
The project draws on three intersecting universes: Jules Verne's literary Nantes, Leonardo da Vinci's mechanical drawings, and the industrial heritage of the shipyard itself. Every rivet and gear is functional, not decorative.
The Galerie des Machines houses works-in-progress you can interact with, including a towering mechanical heron and a rotating marine carousel three storeys tall. Watching craftspeople weld new creatures in the open workshop is a show in itself.
Planning Your Visit
Book elephant ride tickets online well in advance — slots sell out days ahead in summer. The ride lasts about 35 minutes and covers the esplanade around the Halle de la Savonnerie.
The site sits on the south bank of the Loire, a 20-minute walk from Nantes city centre or a short hop on tram line 1 to Chantiers Navals stop. Allow at least three hours to do it justice.
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