The Machines of Nantes

Text: Maksymilian Fus Mickiewicz / Photography: Delphine Pedeboy

I’m in an ex shipbuilding warehouse, to my side there’s a Chiwawa whimpering, desperate to break from its leash. The odds of me ever looking up to see an elephant the size and width of 4 double deck buses topped with a Disney style castle inhabited by children and adults alike was – up until now, slim. Passing by it turns, raises its trunk and sprays the ensuing crowd with the fantasy world of Les Machines.

As a rule we take Paris and ‘the South of France’ as the only two destinations to visit. A chance visit to Nantes turned that lazy assumption upside down. It’s undoubtedly the second cultural capital France has to offer. A hub of creativity with artists such as Cederic Tanguy, institutions such as the ‘L’Ecole de Design’ (the equivalent of Central St Martins) and a history of graphic artists meant Nantes pulled itself up to international renown.

Up until relatively recently Nantes relied on heavy industry, acting chiefly as a ship building port. Much like Liverpool, where Les Machines were part of the Capital of Culture 2009 celebrations, it has managed to turn that heritage to its advantage. Housed inside the titanic scale hangers on the Ilse De Nantes are were The Machines project operates. On one side a gallery of sea creatures; the giant Crab, the Manta Ray, the Reverse-Propelling Squid and the cutest of all Crab Larva. Each is lovingly created with details and mechanical squirting and moving parts ready to be operated. You find pensioners, teenagers and children all as eager as each other to get on board and mess about on one of the rides, although some of the young ones can get quite frightened.

Les Machines has two key inspirations: 10,000 leagues under the sea by Jules Verne and the blue sky thinking of Leonardo da Vinci. These are channelled by two creative’s François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice both of whom have worked towards the project since 2002. François seems like a workaholic; designing machines, composing scores and training future craftsmen. He was born into a family of architects and painters, his first passion – taking apart windscreen wiper motors. Now in what he calls the ‘dream factory’ he designs mechanics that allow fire, water and wind to blast out of his creations. Pierre seems the shyer of the two, graduating from Science-Politiques rather than Beaux Arts. Yet he too was asked to orchestrate over the top artistic productions in both Antwerp and Nantes for the millennium celebrations – at the same time. Much of the way he works is focused on appreciation of Nantes artistic language that the locals appreciate and of course the administration of the project. In many ways though, the story of Les Machines began before these two men found their base in Nantes.

Over the years in London, Berlin, Chile and Australia ‘small’ disturbances have occurred. Cars with smashed in roofs are tip offs as to what’s about to occur. It’s Royal de Luxe and that means a Notting Hill Carnival like parade except instead of people you see Roman marching soldiers, huge doll like puppets battling it off with the infamous Elephant. Each creation has its own blow up personality. The spider at Liverpool’s celebrations is called Princess. The Sultan Elephant was the first of the major projects and the process through which it was created is literally amazing. Each part was hand crafted. People often don’t actually realise what this means. Each part is sawn into a shape from logs, stuck together and bit by bit painstakingly sand papered down into the sketched out design. If one part of the prototype had cracked during the assemblage of the 45 tonne robotics it would be back to the beginning.

Original layout plans are conceived on software so far out the design student with me couldn’t believe it actually existed. But below us is where the knit and grit truly happens. The public have full access to viewing the workshop, a football sized workspace to the right side of the hanger. ‘There’s more? I ask in disbelief. There was this it seemed was only the nose on the trunk. Since I’ve visited three more machines have been ‘released’ The Giraffe Tortoise, The Grouper Fish and The Walnut shell. They’re not intended as an add on to Royal De Luxe parades they’re meant for stage two of Les Machines.

The Marine World Carousel was approved in 2007. When I first saw the design I had the same expression of the design student – a genuine ‘what the hell’. François architectural background must have come back to haunt him as the three storey carousel comes into being. Typically each level is huge and will be able to spin on an axis akin to its circus counterparts. The top level will have a flotilla of boats, the walnut and others that you would expect on the surface of the sea covered by an art deco like roof. In the heart will be the expected fish and mid swimming fish while the bottom will reveal crab like creatures in their entirety with scary torch like features. As visitors you’ll be able to walk through a ballet like orchestration of movement and climb aboard the creatures operating them and no doubt blasting your unwelcome fellow tourists with bursts of water and smoke.

Nothing is ever stable in the workshop which is exactly what should draw you to Nantes and back again and again. The people who work on the project don’t just build and leave their part of a community that’s engaged in a fantasy. A fantasy that never the less has transformed the city they live in. Everywhere you go round the region of Bretagne is quirky and full of life. There’s a famous anecdote about the native honey liquor – people have to tie themselves to the bar so they don’t fall over after a few sips. It’s that kind of spirit which you can enjoy with amazing crepes (also from the region). There is a great nightlife both for clubbers who want to immerse themselves in warehouse rave chic. Much more interesting however is the local restaurants and bars. In particular what I believe to be called Le Petite Bacchus. Either way look out for a Spanish run restaurant where locals will attempt to pour as much Spritzer into their mouths from customized long necked jugs while dancing to latino music and sharing round platters of ham. The crowd is fun, always ready to cheer on the next man ready to prove his macho drinking ability.

Why go? A classic combination of cobbled street charm mixed with contemporary art finesse. If the city is too much you can take a bus to the beautiful coastal villages for around 8 Euros

Must-see Apart from Les Machine taste the eccentric boutiques and cafes around the city. This is what France is for; enjoy the excellent food and drink.

Nightlife Resident Advisor puts forward LC Club – but I’d say steer away from commercial clubbing in France unless you know the act you’re going to see. There are better live acts to be seen around the city. www.lcclub.fr/

Stay There’s only one way to travel and that’s student accommodation. Think about it, if you went to London who would know the best places to go the hotel porter or the people your age. Pretty much everyone will be up for practicing their language skills with you. If they try to impress you with an Irish accent as one guy did do them the courtesy of not laughing. http://france.accommodationforstudents.com/Nantes.asp

Train it on the amazing TGV from Paris. This is an experience in itself. You never thought your perception of National Express could go any lower. It’s an eighty euro return ticket.