Grand Eléphant: the huge animal - Machines de l'île Nantes

Of course, it is impossible to come and visit the Machines de l’Ile in Nantes without discovering the two other incredible achievements of La Compagnie de la Machine. Which is? The amazing Grand Elephant as well as the Carrousel des Mondes marins. After visiting the Galerie des Machines, we therefore boarded this incredible machine: a gigantic, majestic, impressive elephant, it literally charmed us.

The Grand Elephant, that’s its name, can accommodate up to 50 people on a single trip. It is huge. When you are on its back, it is as if you had climbed onto a terrace located on the 4th floor of a house. We also learned that in 2018, the Grand Elephant had been revised to be less noisy and less polluting. It is indeed equipped with a hybrid engine!

Its dimensions are gigantic: 12 meters high, 8 meters wide and no less than 21 meters long. And in total, it is made up of almost 49 tons of steel and wood.

Once on board (you access through the upper gallery), you obviously have a great view, but what we prefer is being able to admire the mechanisms of this Grand Elephant. Because to move, it is composed of no less than 62 jacks. The sight of this big moving beast is absolutely magical.

Good to know

A must do

We recommend that you stand behind the person operating the Grand Elephant. He or she is like a magician, and manipulates this huge machine with an incredible dexterity.

The princess loved

The princess loved the fact that the Grand Elephant sprays water with his trunk! Each time, she waited each to see her trunk rise. And once the walk is over, we advise you to admire this incredible creature from the ground.

The ups for kids

Your kids are over 8 years old

So, let them roam freely on the back of this magnificent elephant and be sure to show them the mechanics. The way this machine moves is larger than life and they should be fascinated.

Your kids are less than 8 years old

They will love this trip, up on an elephant’s back, with a very gentle movement. The princess was barely 7 years old when we went and she will probably remember it for a very long time.