The Loire River flows through the French city of Nantes. The river splits in two, and the small piece of land in between is Île de Nantes, the island of Nantes. It is the epitome of successful urban development. A place where the past and the present embrace and complement each other.

Nantes is the sixth largest city in France. But, frankly, it hardly feels like that. It’s so quiet on the street. So although I don’t have to escape the crowds, I look for two ‘city escapes’ during my stay: Trentemoult and Estuaire.

In the French city of Nantes, I dive to the depths of the sea and get on an elephant with the same ease. I enter the fantasy world of Les Machines de l’Île.