Day 12: L'isle de Nantes

As a special treat for Louis, we decided to visit L'isle de Nantes. It is a display of working mechanical animals that is part art installation, part engineering.  Since G is very creative and also an engineer, and L is very mechanical, I thought this would be a hit.  The highlight would be the ride on the mechanical elephant, as an early birthday treat for Louis.  

I was glad I looked at the website ahead of time for hours and information about buying elephant ride tickets in advance online.  What I didn't see online was that you have to buy tickets at the counter for either the gallery or elephant, and then after you do that, then you can go back to the counter to buy tickets for the other.      I would recommend other visitors buy elephant tickets in advance online and the  arrive early enough to tour the gallery first.  Note: The gallery is a guided tour as all parts are interactive. 

The elephant ride was pretty cool! I wasn't sure what to expect. I imagined you might be strapped into a 5-point harness like a Six Flags ride.  So we only bought tickets for G & L.  When we saw it, we got tickets for M & Me to join.  You board through the elephant's belly, and can ride inside the belly, outside next to his belly, and on top.  I was a little worried after I boarded that the walking legs would really jostle us around on top, and I was holding Marcelle.  I was relieved when the movement was completely even and flat.  The legs moved, but only for viewing from the side.  The forward movement was powered by a motor and wheels.  

Here we are at the start of the elephant ride. 

Marcelle was not afraid to go right up to the sides!

And here we are at the end.  You can see the scale of how big the elephant was!

Louis was so pooped, he fell asleep in the car with his straw still in his mouth and two Madelines in his hand.

And we arrived back with visitors waiting!  Marie-Ange and Denis ,and Guiguite & Roger.  

They brought nice gifts for the kids.  Louis got a little Lego rabbit farm with a sunflower - tres Vendee! 

It's 9:45 pm and the sun is still shining.  Our little boy enjoyed his elephant ride today.  Tonight, I say "Bonne Nuit" from Chez Chantal with a glass of blackberry liqueur in my hand...

Takeaways for the Traceling mom at isle de Nantes: 

- For someone else visiting, I'd recommend seeing the gallery first, then doing the elephant ride, which has very limited times. 

- there's a good parking garage for L'isle.

- more later