By The star attraction on the Île de Nantes in the middle of the Loire river as it passes through Nantes in Brittany, is the iconic* Grand Éléphant, much loved by the millions of visitors to the famous Machines de l’île machines.
However, he/she is a bit knackered.
Since 2007, she (I’m going with ‘she’) has travelled nearly 50,000 kilometers, made no fewer than 45,000 rides around the Parc des Chantiers, and carried almost 1½ million passengers. She is now taking a well-deserved break for a bit of TLC (maintenance).
Rides were suspended a few days ago (02 Nov) and won’t start again until Saturday 27th February 2027.
Les Machines de l’île annual closure runs from 4th January to 6th February 2027, but before and after those dates the other attractions – the Carrousel des Mondes Marins and the Galerie des Machines – will remain open.
To mark the 2027 reopening of Les Machines de l’île on Saturday 6th February 2027, “flash tours” of the Grand Éléphant will be offered to the public, when the machine operators will reveal what happens behind the scenes and how the Grand Éléphant works.
* I avoid using the word ‘iconic’. It is so overused. But I think it’s appropriate here!
