Our speech

In october 2010 we arrived at Gare de Nantes and were brought to an unknown destination. 10 minutes later we were in a wildernis... in the middle of the city: la Petite Amazonie, a Natura 2000 nature reserve.

Inside we were told about what was here before: floodlands, bomb craters, city rubble, foudations for a new motorway.

It was our aim to tell this story to as many people as possible, since only 500 people are allowed inside each year.

So today you are standing on the idea of the autoroute that was abandoned. It leads you as close as possible to the paradise behind me. You can see it, touch it, smell it hear it. And you have get an idea of the causes: a not build highway and the powers of mother nature.

Since we cannot go inside the nature reserve l Petite Amazonie, we asked permission to the city of Nantes to let Mother Nature come outside. In a few years time the Péage will not be at the edge of the wilderness but an open space in the wilderness. The sculpture on the edge of city and wilderness, will be set in a park that was created by watching and waiting.

To see this process, we will return to Nantes many times. We look forward seeing children play, joining people for lunch, listening to poetry and learning from teachers who are using the space as an open air school.

It is our pleasure to invite you on top of the Péage Sauvage and to invite you to dream about how you are going to use Péage Sauvage.

inauguration

 Many people, many speeches, many conversations, may good wishes for the future of this permanent art work. From today, we will be landscaping by waiting. It was a happy evening.

Location Péage in Nantes

We are in Nantes, near the river Loire, railway lines devide the area, which is being redeveloped, to left the brandnew swimming pool, to the right the nature preserve with limited access, in the back the 19th century part of town near the cdntral station, in the middle a public artwork, a wooden highway and an arcade with a view.

Petite Amazonie - before and after

When we arrived at this site in october 2010, this field had no planning status Now it officially is a 'public area'. The city wilderness on the right is allowed to progress. Will Péage Sauvage still e visible from this point of view in 2016?

Inauguration Péage Sauvage à Nantes

Le Maire de Nantes - Président de Nantes Métropole
Jacques Auxiette - Président de la Région des Pays de la Loire
Philippe Grosvalet - Président du Conseil général de Loire-Atlantique
Joël Batteux - Maire de Saint-Nazaire
Allain Bougrain-Dubourg - Président de la Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux nationale
Jean Blaise - Directeur du Voyage à Nantes

ont le plaisir de vous inviter à l’inauguration de Péage sauvage, une oeuvre du collectif Observatorium, création pérenne Estuaire 2012

Jeudi 24 mai à 18h - Petite Amazonie, Quartier Malakoff

Oeuvre réalisée pour le centenaire de la Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, en collaboration avec le Service des Espaces Verts et de l'Environnement, le grand project de ville et l'Atelier Ruelle, grâce au soutien de la fondation EDF pour le groupe EDF et du groupe Giboire, partenairs officiels.
Avec l'appui technique des Ateliers Perrault Frères. Remerciements: ECSB - Etudes et conception structure. Remerciements aux équipes de quartier et à l'ensemble des associations et structures mobilisées sur le project.

Péage Sauvage first impressions

The inauguration of Péage Sauvage by the Maire of Nantes will take place May 24th, 18h.

It is a permanent sculpture commissioned by the collection of public art Estuaire Nantes <> Saint Nazaire along the river Loire.
After enduring the bombing during WW2, the site near the station of Nantes was part of an urban renewal project. Finally, when the idea of a city motorway was abandoned, nature had already taken over.
The site was called Petite Amazonie, and is now a nature reserve with limited access. Observatorium tells this story with a oakwood sculpture representing a section of a motorway, including exits and a toll port. It will function as a protection of the reserve, a public place and a birds observatory.

Péage Sauvage invitation

Op de Jan Evertsenplaats is het Kinderweekend' op zaterdag 5 en zondag 6 mei. Laat papa en mama maar lekker koffie drinken en een krantje lezen, de kinders worden vermaakt.

 Workshop bloemen maken, met pannenkoeken (za), pony rijden (zo), poppenkast (za), kevertje rijden (za & zo), schminken (zo), workshop hoeden maken (zo) en er zijn helium ballonnen (za & zo).

O ja, er is ook nog gratis ijs, van Capri. Moet je wel even een coupon op komen halen op de Jan Evertsenplaats, Karel Doormanhof of bij ZigZagTravel!