Machines of the Isle of Nantes

France hosts monuments that go beyond common tourist routes. Individual creations like Ferdinand Cheval's Palais Idéal in Hauterives, built stone by stone over 33 years, sit alongside architectural reconversions like the Molitor Pool in Paris or the Contemporary Art Museum set in a 17th-century manor in Saint-Romain-au-Mont-d'Or. These sites reflect unique stories and urban transformations worth exploring. This selection includes themed museums dedicated to magic in Blois, mechanical instruments at La Borde, fairground arts in Paris, and firefighters in Montville. It also features total art works like the Maison Picassiette in Chartres, entirely decorated with ceramic mosaics, and the Robert Tatin Museum in Cossé-le-Vivien. From Montmartre cemetery where Degas and Zola are buried to works by self-taught artists, these monuments offer different perspectives on French heritage and deserve a visit to explore lesser-known facets of the territory.

The Pays de la Loire region is full of lesser-known sites revealing the history and diversity of this western France region. Beyond the typical tourist routes, these sites provide an authentic insight into local heritage, craft traditions, and preserved natural landscapes. Among these destinations are castles like Brissac, the tallest in France, and the fortress of Tiffauges, associated with medieval legends. History enthusiasts will appreciate the Gallery of the Apocalypse Tapestry in Angers, a 14th-century textile work, or the Fontevraud Abbey, a remarkable monastic complex. Curious visitors will also find unusual sites such as the Passage du Gois, a tidal road connecting Noirmoutier Island to the mainland depending on the tide, and the Epinay Mill, still operational today. This selection also includes specialized botanical gardens, such as Camifolia in Chemillé, thematic museums dedicated to Jules Verne or early 20th-century rural life, as well as vineyards and manors surrounded by gardens. These locations, often frequented by locals, offer a different perspective for exploring the Pays de la Loire.

Nantes features diverse settings for photography, from gardens to historical monuments. Passage Pommeraye, a 19th-century shopping gallery, displays carved staircases and glass roofs across three levels. Île de Versailles offers a Japanese garden with stone lanterns and bamboo groves, while the Jardin des Plantes houses over 10,000 plant species in its greenhouses and pathways. Château des Ducs de Bretagne showcases Renaissance towers, and Cours Cambronne lines neoclassical facades around a tree-lined square. Converted former industrial sites create unique photographic spaces. The Hangar à Bananes, a former warehouse on the Loire quays, now hosts restaurants and galleries. Les Machines de l'Île set their mechanical creations in the naval shipyard’s Nefs. Le Lieu Unique occupies the LU factory with its distinctive tower, and Jardin des Fonderies preserves metal structures from its industrial past. In Trentemoult, a fishing village with houses painted red, yellow, and blue, narrow alleys run along the Loire.

Nantes combines mechanical monuments, botanical gardens, a medieval castle and museums. The historical quarters, old squares and notable architecture reflect its maritime and commercial past. The city features parks, walks along the Loire and cultural institutions like the Art Museum and Natural History Museum. The Machines de l'île presents mechanical animals, including a 12-meter-tall elephant.