Bring On The Holidays #nantes

BUT after a bit more catching up of sleep, we also got to check out some of Nantes:

Les Machines de I'ile is an artistic, touristic and cultural project based in the old covered buildings of the former shipyards in Nantes.  It is the only place where you'll find Jules Verne's "Invented Worlds", the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci, and Nantes' industrial history, all on the exceptional site of the city's train shipyards.

The Great Elephant is a mechanical elephant, 12 meters high and 8 meters wide, made from 45 tons of wood and steel. It can take up to 49 passengers for a 45-minute walk, and shoots actual water from its trunk - by far the highlight of the kids visit!!

We didn't have time to really visit anything else, but there is also a Marine Worlds Carousel, a Heron Tree under construction, and a Machine Gallery, which is an exhibition place to illustrate the background story of the machines.

Marine Worlds Carousel - 35 moving underwater
creatures on three levels: the ocean floor, the depths,
and sea and boats.

Post-gift shop it was time for a much needed McDonalds and ice cream in Nantes town centre, then a wander through the streets till we hit the castle.

The Chateau des ducs de Bretagne, built at the end of the 15th century by Francois II and his daughter, Anne of Brittany, is a castle displaying both Nantes' past grandeur and current renewal.  You can visit the Musee d'histoire de Nantes inside the castle, which tells the story of Nantes' role in the European slave-trade, the everyday life of Nantes' population, and the great local industries.  We didn't - instead we chose to walk the castle walls, which was quite heart-stopping with a 2-year old who liked to pull himself over them!

And finally we ended up at Nantes Cathedral, or the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul of Nantes.  Construction began in 1434 and took 457 years to finish, and since 1862 has been listed as a 'monument historique' by the French Ministry of Culture.

And then it really was time to get home, get to bed, and try to catch up on all our missed sleep!