• The Voyage à Nantes takes place from July 3 to September 12.

  • It offers around sixty artistic stages along a green line painted on the ground.

It was announced as one of the major works of the Voyage à Nantes 2021. It will certainly be… if the sun decides to return. Open to the public on Saturday, the monumental rollerblading track installed on Place Graslin had a mixed start due to the rain. Not very fun indeed to skate under the drops. The practice is even prohibited if the coating is too wet. These meteorological hazards aside, many curious people came to see this funny 38 m diameter arena called

Versus

. And rollerbladers and rollerbladers seem to like the ring, especially the younger ones.

“I find the idea brilliant.

It's both fun and astonishing to skate in this setting, right in front of the opera house, ”comments Matthieu, a father accompanying his children.

"We feel a little privileged to be on this track here, in the historic center of Nantes," adds Julien.

We also feel a little observed by the people around, we have to disregard it.

"

"Seeing people go around in circles, that gets tired quickly"

It must be said that an imposing coping has been arranged around the track in order to reinforce the scenic aspect and allow the public to sit down to enjoy the show. All in clear concrete to respond to the mineral side of the place. "We designed a simple track echoing the very efficient architecture of the theater," explains Romain Pradeau, from the Titan architectural firm. Sliding is something positive and fresh. The ballet of rollerblades, bicycles, pedestrians in the square will create an elegant and perpetual movement and a disturbing perspective. "

Obviously, not all visitors are enthusiastic about the work.

Some find it "quite ugly", others consider that it "takes up a lot of space" or that it "spoils the view a little".

Passing through Nantes for the weekend, Fanny, from Angevine, recognizes that the idea is "nice, fun, good for children".

“But, hey, seeing people going around in circles gets tired quickly, a bit like ice rinks in winter”.

As for skaters, scooters and cyclists, they are prohibited from entering.

Evening demonstrations

As for the Voyage à Nantes, we explain that we wanted to "put some lightness in the programming".

The comfort gauge is estimated at around fifty skaters at the same time.

Roller skates are loaned free for one hour for those who do not have them (except in case of rain).

On weekday evenings, roller derby and rink hockey demonstrations will be offered.

Open every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the track will be dismantled from September 13, date of the end of the Voyage à Nantes.

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