If you’re into Steampunk, animatronics, art, and scientific mechanics, you need to go to the island of Nantes, France and work for the La Machine Company, located in an old shipyard warehouse.
In their warehouses, they make giant fantasy machines. From the very first sketches to fully functioning machines, the entire creative process is on display and shared for the public to observe in the open laboratory.
They made this giant steampunk spider. The company is into a genre of science fiction that fuses futuristic technology with the design aesthetic and philosophy of the Victorian age.
Artists at work in the wood shop. The 2 owners, François Delaroziere and Pierre Orefice, started out as set designers.
There are two viewing terraces above La Machine’s workshop, where the public can observe the inventors and artisans in action as they carve and create their world of wood and steel.
Some lucky guests are chosen to test out the machines.
This is the Dragon de Calais. Forever at work on new outlandish creatures and creations from an alternate universe, La Machine, acts like an alternative and constantly evolving theme park of sorts.
The Grand Éléphant is one of their most famous creations. Climbing aboard the walking cathedral of steel is like travelling on the top floor of a travelling house – one that blasts steam out of its trunk.
The collective is constantly recruiting too. There’s an application on their website.
The Symphony, a permanent display, is an interaction between machinists and classical musicians: The musical universe is confronted with the mechanical sounds of the flute casserole, the tumbled piano, the Groovagaz - 50 musical machines, in all.
They also invented the Dinner of Small Mechanics.
They’ve made the island the capital of steampunk and offer so many shows- this is the Plant Expedition.
This is the Fire Show on top and Incandescences. Something for everyone.
Judging by the crowds, this is just as popular as Disney World.
https://www.lamachine.fr/en/