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Carrousel des Mondes Marins, Nantes, France | |
| A carousel full of sea creatures—mechanical ones, that is. Lots to see and experience! | ||
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How to describe the Carrousel des Mondes Marins, or Carousel of the Marine Worlds? It's a sort of mechanical aquarium, and it's also a theater. And it's also a triple decker carousel. Like most things at Les Machines de l'Île, it defies easy description and is fascinating. It's located on the Loire River, reached from the Galerie des Machines on foot (5-10 minute walk). You can also see it while riding Le Grand Éléphant. From a distance it just looks like a carrousel, and then you realize it's much bigger. The carousel allows visitors to discover it at their own pace, perhaps riding on a giant crab, or operating levers to open and close the mouth of a large fish. The 360 degree theater is dedicated to the sea, and you will watch as a variety of sea creatures revolve and move around you, on three levels. The first level contains the seabeds, home to giant crabs, squid, and various exploring machines. The second level shows manta rays and pirate fish, who live in the abyss. The third level represents the sea surface, with a rotating plateau that features boats, flying fish, jellyfish, and mechanical waves. Note that admission to the Carrousel des Mondes Marins is separate from admission to the Galerie des Machines or for the elephant ride. Tickets are bought at individual ticket offices for each attraction. Opening hours for the carousel change with the seasons, so check the website for current times. Note: The French spelling of carrousel has two "r"s, while the English carousel has only one.
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Above, The Carrousel des Mondes Marins.
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