Monday 28th August 2023
We left the Villandry site at around 9am, stopping off to buy a fresh baguette from the bakery on the high street. We left in rain but it soon cleared and we had sunny blue skies as we travelled to Nantes. Stopped for a coffee and leg stretch and arrived in Nantes around 12.20. Missed the entrance to the camping carpark aire and had to go up and turn via the next roundabout. Small tree lined aire which is fully booked for tonight. No electric here so we were soon parked up and eating lunch. Del got the bikes down and we cycled to a local supermarket to stock up on supplies. I shopped whilst Del guarded the bikes!
Later we cycled the 3 and a bit miles into the centre of Nantes. Bit hairy at times especially when the bike lane was in the middle of the road! We arrived at the Ile De Machines, a popular tourist destination in Nantes. It is a blend of the invented worlds of Jules Verne, the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci and the industrial history of Nantes, on an exceptional site in the former shipyards. You can ride a 12 meter tall elephant, climb aboard the marine world carrousel of 27 moving sea creatures or see the Heron tree fly over the hanging gardens. We didn’t go inside today but saw the carrousel as well as the mechanical elephant who was walking around giving rides and spraying water at the crowds who were watching!
We did ride off in search of somewhere secure to park our bikes but couldn’t find how to enter the underground park! Cycled back to the site and had a cuppa sitting outside by the van. Cooked tea and ate just before 7pm. Usual evening, beer/wine, crossword, social media then some downloaded tv!
Tuesday 29th August 2023
Cycled into Nantes centre and locked the bikes up by Les Machines de L’ile. We saw the giant mechanical elephant depart on its walk before we joined the queue to buy tickets to go into the Galerie des machines. Here we saw all the latest mechanical creatures and had demonstrations on how they worked and moved. We saw a heron with 8 meter long wings fly above us, a huge spider rise up from his lair, giant hummingbirds gathering nectar and a massive walking ant!
Next we visited the workshop where the mechanical creatures are devised and created and finally we exited via a branch of the heron tree, a 20 meter long branch which is the first component of a huge structure planned for the future. We walked over to the Carrousel des Mondes Marins, a giant carousel that’s 82 feet high and 72 feet in diameter. It is 3 carousels stacked one on top the other, featuring weird and wonderful mechanical sea creatures that you ride on. Del went first on the middle level and then I followed and rode the top level!
From there we cycled out to a gardens that were planted in an old quarry. It features a dramatic waterfall and has steps to the top of the quarry where you can get an overview of the gardens.
From there we cycled back to the city centre and locked our bikes up in the train station. Walked to the city centre Chateau and had a wander round before deciding to cycle back and have a late lunch in the van. Later we walked about a mile to a street market Del had seen advertised. It sold mainly fruit, veg and cheese, of which we had plenty so we didn’t buy anything. Later in the evening we opened a bottle of red and ate the cheeses we’d bought along with a fresh baton we bought at the bakers around the corner. A good day, lots to see and do, plus the bonus was that our bikes didn’t get nicked when we left them in town!!
Tomorrow we are heading to Chatelaillon Plage.
We left the Villandry site at around 9am, stopping off to buy a fresh baguette from the bakery on the high street. We left in rain but it soon cleared and we had sunny blue skies as we travelled to Nantes. Stopped for a coffee and leg stretch and arrived in Nantes around 12.20. Missed the entrance to the camping carpark aire and had to go up and turn via the next roundabout. Small tree lined aire which is fully booked for tonight. No electric here so we were soon parked up and eating lunch. Del got the bikes down and we cycled to a local supermarket to stock up on supplies. I shopped whilst Del guarded the bikes!
Later we cycled the 3 and a bit miles into the centre of Nantes. Bit hairy at times especially when the bike lane was in the middle of the road! We arrived at the Ile De Machines, a popular tourist destination in Nantes. It is a blend of the invented worlds of Jules Verne, the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci and the industrial history of Nantes, on an exceptional site in the former shipyards. You can ride a 12 meter tall elephant, climb aboard the marine world carrousel of 27 moving sea creatures or see the Heron tree fly over the hanging gardens. We didn’t go inside today but saw the carrousel as well as the mechanical elephant who was walking around giving rides and spraying water at the crowds who were watching!
We did ride off in search of somewhere secure to park our bikes but couldn’t find how to enter the underground park! Cycled back to the site and had a cuppa sitting outside by the van. Cooked tea and ate just before 7pm. Usual evening, beer/wine, crossword, social media then some downloaded tv!
Tuesday 29th August 2023
Cycled into Nantes centre and locked the bikes up by Les Machines de L’ile. We saw the giant mechanical elephant depart on its walk before we joined the queue to buy tickets to go into the Galerie des machines. Here we saw all the latest mechanical creatures and had demonstrations on how they worked and moved. We saw a heron with 8 meter long wings fly above us, a huge spider rise up from his lair, giant hummingbirds gathering nectar and a massive walking ant!
Next we visited the workshop where the mechanical creatures are devised and created and finally we exited via a branch of the heron tree, a 20 meter long branch which is the first component of a huge structure planned for the future. We walked over to the Carrousel des Mondes Marins, a giant carousel that’s 82 feet high and 72 feet in diameter. It is 3 carousels stacked one on top the other, featuring weird and wonderful mechanical sea creatures that you ride on. Del went first on the middle level and then I followed and rode the top level!
From there we cycled out to a gardens that were planted in an old quarry. It features a dramatic waterfall and has steps to the top of the quarry where you can get an overview of the gardens.
From there we cycled back to the city centre and locked our bikes up in the train station. Walked to the city centre Chateau and had a wander round before deciding to cycle back and have a late lunch in the van. Later we walked about a mile to a street market Del had seen advertised. It sold mainly fruit, veg and cheese, of which we had plenty so we didn’t buy anything. Later in the evening we opened a bottle of red and ate the cheeses we’d bought along with a fresh baton we bought at the bakers around the corner. A good day, lots to see and do, plus the bonus was that our bikes didn’t get nicked when we left them in town!!
Tomorrow we are heading to Chatelaillon Plage.
