In Toulouse you can take a ride on a gigantic Minotaur and see a flying greenhouse (that travels the world)

Forget the classic museum made up of display cases, works and immobile relics. In Toulouse, in the French city famous for its characteristic pink-hued terracotta bricks, there is a universe made of steel, wood, fascinating gears and incredible creatures, where even adults become children again. The Halle de La Machine is rather an extraordinary laboratory in continuous transformation, a space in which artistic creations “breathe”, walk, transport people and tell stories.

It is the visionary world of the company La Machine, founded in 1999 and led by artistic director François Delaroziere, who for over twenty years has been imagining monumental works, also created with recycled objects and materials and destined to invade squares and streets all over the world. At the Halle de La Machine – which occupies a structure of approximately 5,000 m² – you will encounter more than one hundred of them, some tiny – which fit in the palm of your hand – and other monumental ones weighing several tons. Giving them life are the Véritables Machinistes, stagehands, circus performers and actors who operate levers and pistons to spray fake snow, play and create smoke rings, transforming each demonstration into a show. And it is precisely this continuous oscillation between reality and imagination that makes the experience so engaging. We experienced it firsthand this summer, when we visited splendid Toulouse, and we were truly enchanted.

On the back of a mammoth Minotaur

The absolute protagonist of this unique place in the world – perfect for a day with family or friends – is the imposing Minotaur Astérion, created specifically for the city of Toulouse and presented in November 2018 during the show Le Gardien du Temple. The machine is positioned on the Pista dei Giganti and is capable of carrying several visitors on its back. In fact, above the body of the Minotaur, a two-storey Greek temple is placed, from which the details of the machine can be closely observed while it is in motion.

 

The legs slowly lift, the head turns, smoke comes out of the nostrils, while the gears remain completely visible. It is precisely this transparency that makes the experience interesting: there is no attempt to hide the functioning of the machine, but to transform it into part of the show. The route of the Minotaur follows the historic Montaudran runway: pilots Henri Guillaumet and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who made the history of French aviation, set off from here.

Arianna, the mechanical spider that enchants

Inside the Halle you can also meet Ariadne, the enormous mechanical spider who is the protagonist, together with the Minotaur, of the show Le Gardien du Temple. It has eight jointed legs, movable eyes, can spray water and reach a height of about twenty meters. The mechanical spider is capable of climbing over trees, street lamps and bus shelters. And in the past it has even clung to the facades of the cathedrals of Reims and Ottawa.

It is precisely this contrast that makes it interesting in person: the appearance is that of a potentially threatening animal, but the way in which it is maneuvered by the train drivers is slow, precise and almost choreographic. For the company la Machine, movement is in fact not just a technical function, but a true expressive language: its incredible creatures are defined as “living architecture” and are designed to arouse emotions through the way they occupy and cross space.

In Toulouse you can experience the most unusual (and acrobatic) lunch ever

In the Halle de La Machine in Toulouse you can enjoy another unusual and fun experience, namely the Déjeuner des Petites Mécaniques, the “Luncheon of the Little Mechanics”. It is a culinary performance for 24 people in which table service is entrusted to ingenious machinery and waiter-performers, who also defy gravity by offering the dishes upside down.

From the machine for reading the menu to the glass holder with which the table is set, from the catapult for the bread to the chandelier that serves the dessert by lowering it from above: here everything is automated and planned to offer an unparalleled spectacle, which tickles the imagination and lights up the taste buds. Naturally, specialties from the food and wine tradition of the south of France are offered and the five courses vary according to seasonality.

A flying greenhouse around the world

One of the most surprising attractions not to be missed at the Halle de La Machine is “L’Aéroflorale II, retour d’expédition” the flagship of the show “L’Expédition Végétale (The Vegetable Expedition)”. The installation, created by the company La Machine, will remain open to visitors until January 3, 2027.

It is a fascinating flying greenhouse, approximately fifteen meters high and ten meters wide, supported by four mechanical legs and surmounted by an aerostat made up of five balloons. In words it is difficult to convey the idea of ​​its size and its scenic presence, but even photographs struggle to convey the amazement you feel when you find yourself in front of this enormous structure. Over 1,300 plants, including species, grow inside and all around it Ficus Robusta, Fatsia Japonica, Philodendron Imperial Vert, Monstera Deliciosa and Begonia Rex Macarena.

The project revolves around the concept of phytovoltaics, that is, the study of the possibility that plants, through biological processes linked to roots and soil, can contribute to the production of electricity. As often happens in La Machine’s creations, however, the scientific theme becomes the starting point for building an imaginary and almost theatrical story. The Aéroflorale II is in fact presented as a real traveling greenhouse ship, returning from a long expedition through various cities around the world (from Buenos Aires to Montreal, passing through Turin, Paris, Brussels, Nantes and Hamburg) to collect and study different plant species.

At the base of the structure there is also a botanical laboratory with various curious and interactive devices: a machine to accelerate the ripening of apples, one designed to caress plants and even a tool that allows you to “eavesdrop” on what is happening in the plant world.

Here too the boundary between scientific experiment, artistic installation and narrative invention remains deliberately blurred, contributing to the charm of the experience. Finally, to complete the journey there is an engaging photographic exhibition, which retraces the adventures and stages of the flying greenhouse during its travels around the world. If – like us – you love plants, this artistic installation will make you fall in love.

For other useful information on the attractions not to be missed in Toulouse you can consult the Toulouse Tourisme website.