Since 2007, the Machines de l’Ile de Nantes and the great elephant are one of the major tourist attractions in Nantes.
The 12 meters high mechanical elephant is made from 45 tons of wood and steel. Several times a day, it takes passengers for a walk around the Isle of Nantes, located in the middle of the Loire River. Riding it is quite expensive but it’s free to just see it move around, wink, trumpet, and spray nearby photographers with water (oh well, it was a hot day).
You can follow our French trip here on Flickr: France (2010).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Visited 40 times, 1 visit(s) today
This is so cool! A giant robot elephant. It also reminds me the “Trojan Horse”. I bet it is so fun to watch it walks! Awesome! 🙂
This elephant is very high on my list of things I want to see. There are some Youtube clips of it walking and spraying water. It is remarkably life like. I hope you and your faithful friend Feng are having a wonderful time. Thank you for taking me with you through your blog. And thank you for the little comments you leave in my blog. I am gratified that you take the time to visit me while you are so busy. Have fun and a safe trip.
Somehow I have a childish desire to relive my childhood again by riding that elephant after I saw your photos. That’s just something you don’t see a lot nowadays.
This is so cool! I have never heard about them. Thank you for taking us along in your trip to Europe. I am certainly enjoying it 🙂
@Jorge Mora: thank you! This is kind of a new attraction, the Isle of Nantes was rebuilt after I left. I believe the site was reopened in 2007.
@Linguist-in-Waiting: riding is q bit expensive but just seeing the elephant is quite a show in my opinion.
@Tulsa Gentleman: it is extremely life-like, so much that a lot of kids just start crying when the elephant moves and makes sound 😆
@micki: the same group of artist made a giant walk in Nantes and many other attractions. They are pretty cool!
Wow – that is just fascinating! My kids would LOVE this – plans for next summer holiday have started!
Hey Zhu, just yesterday I received an email attachment about Nantes’ Elephant and I was in awe. You mean it is an attraction all year round? So so cool 😀