In September 2010 my girlfriend and I visited Les Machines de l’Ile in Nantes, France. I posted a few photos from that trip but I feel that a complete set really tells the story of the place. It’s a magical place where a giant hand crafted wooden elephant roams around and in a few years time a multi story sea themed carousel will be built along with an incredibly beautiful tree that you can walk up for stunning views over Nantes. These guys don’t think small.

Rideable sea creatures as part of the sea themed multi-story carousel.

An intricate model of the huge tree they plan to build in Nantes. It will have plants living in it with a sophisticated watering system running all through the structure.

A beta test of the tree system built over the gift shop. You get a great view as the elephant walks past.