Photos: Loudumo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Selbymay, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Stéfan Le Dû from Nantes, France, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: Loudumo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Selbymay, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Stéfan Le Dû from Nantes, France, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
The mechanical elephant, seen from outside
Your local guide
Camille Bertrand
View profile
Highlights
- A giant mechanical elephant on the move
- Wood and steel engineering, explained
- Old shipyard cranes still standing nearby
- An industrial island's second life
- A team riding inside the machine
About this tour
This call follows the giant mechanical elephant that walks along the former shipyards of the Île de Nantes, watched entirely from the public quay outside. You see the machine itself up close as it moves, then the old shipyard cranes still standing nearby. I explain how the whole project reused an industrial site rather than replacing it.
We time the call around the elephant's public walk and take questions as it moves, then look at the surrounding cranes once it has passed. A short note on the site's shipyard history follows by message.
This suits anyone who enjoys unusual engineering and a bit of industrial history together. It also works well as a livelier session between quieter historical calls.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Nantes before heading out.
-
The elephant on its walk 21 min
The camera follows the giant mechanical elephant as it moves along the quay, and I explain how the wood and steel structure is built and powered by a small team riding inside it.
-
Former shipyard cranes 21 min
You see the old shipyard cranes still standing beside the machines, and I point out how the island's industrial past shaped what has been built here since.
-
Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about Nantes: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
-
A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Beurre blanc and Île de Nantes, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Paris time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 12 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Nantes, showing you The elephant on its walk and Former shipyard cranes live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need any background in art?
No. The guide explains what matters as you go, whatever you already know or do not.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet, the link comes with your booking. I show the machines live from the public walkways outside.
Times shown in Paris time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Reviews appear here after travellers have completed this tour.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Fri 30 Oct · 12 seats left From 24,00 €
Book