Skip to content
My Big Fat Travel Diary
Menu
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Destinations
    • Asia
      • Japan
        • Chubu
        • Chugoku
        • Hokkaido
        • Kansai
        • Kanto
        • Kyushu and Okinawa
        • Shikoku
        • Tohoku
    • Europe
      • British Isles
        • England
        • Northern Ireland
        • Republic of Ireland
        • Scotland
        • Wales
      • Central Europe
        • Austria
        • Czechia / Czech Republic
        • Germany
        • Hungary
        • Poland
        • Slovakia
        • Slovenia
        • Switzerland
      • East Europe
        • Latvia
        • Lithuania
      • North Europe
        • Estonia
        • Scandinavia
          • Denmark
          • Iceland
          • Norway
          • Sweden
      • South East Europe
        • Bulgaria
        • Croatia
        • Greece
        • Romania
      • South Europe
        • Italy
        • Malta
        • Portugal
        • Spain
      • West Europe
        • Belgium
        • France
        • Luxembourg
        • Netherlands
    • North America
      • Canada
        • Ontario
        • Quebec
Menu
My Big Fat Travel Diary > Blog > Royal de Luxe comes to Nantes and Saint-Herblain in September 2023
Royal de Luxe comes to Nantes and Saint-Herblain in 2023

Royal de Luxe comes to Nantes and Saint-Herblain in September 2023

Posted on May 26, 2023August 13, 2023 by Claire

Royal de Luxe have confirmed that the giant dogs Xolo and Bull Machin will be returning in 2023 to the streets of Nantes and Saint-Herblain on the fourth weekend of September, the 22nd – 24th 2023.


Read about the history of Royal de Luxe here

Royal de Luxe in Nantes and Saint-Herblain

An announcement was made on January 5, 2023, by the mayor of Nantes, that the Royal de Luxe troup will be putting on their popular giant puppet show in the streets of Nantes and Saint-Herblain after the Summer in 2023. Now Royal de Luxe themselves have confirmed that the puppets will be there.

Fresh from their appearance in Villeurbanne in 2022, we can expect to see the giant dogs ‘Bull Machin’ and ‘Xolo’ wandering around the streets of Nantes in the free performance.


Royal de Luxe’s Weekend in Villeurbanne

From 23 to 25 September 2022, we were treated to faithful company dog Xolo and new arrival Bull Machin shuffling around the streets, taking toilet breaks, snacking, napping, and for Bull Machin, a few sneaky cigar breaks.

bull machin and xolo race

The performance was ended with a race held on Sunday between the two hounds.


Travelling to Nantes

The closest airport to Nantes is Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE). From there, you can catch a shuttle bus from the airport to the railway station or the city centre. They leave every 20-30 minutes and it’s a 20-minute journey between the railway station and the airport. It costs €9 for a one-way ticket.

Buying Nantes public transport (tram/bus) tickets

You can purchase a Tan ticket from self-service ticket machines at tram and bus stations for either one hour (€1.70) or for 24 hours (€6). Authorise them the first time you board a tram or bus, and show it to the driver if you transfer. Children under 6 travel for free.


Staying in Nantes

The Bouffay district, or the historical district in Nantes is very lively, and a great place to stay if you like being in the heart of things. You’ll be near to most of the city’s main monuments such as the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul de Nantes (Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul), the Château des ducs de Bretagne (Castle of the Dukes of Brittany) and the Jardin des Plantes, plus there are plenty of markets to stroll around in.


Royal de Luxe is also coming to Antwerp in August 2023!

Read more on the Royal de Luxe official website.


Image Sources
ouest-france.fr

Related

  • France
  • 25 thoughts on “Royal de Luxe comes to Nantes and Saint-Herblain in September 2023”

    1. Lucia Rubio says:
      January 18, 2023 at 3:32 pm

      Somos de Barcelona y nos gustaría ir a ver las marionetas gigantes en 2023 saber las fechas y donde poder veros

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        April 2, 2023 at 9:48 am

        Ahora se ha confirmado que los gigantes podrán verse en Nantes el cuarto fin de semana de septiembre de 2023, del 22 al 24.

        Reply
        1. Carla says:
          May 13, 2023 at 5:57 pm

          Como sabes?

          Reply
          1. Claire says:
            May 13, 2023 at 9:59 pm

            An announcement was made by the mayor of Nantes that they’d perform in the streets of Nantes from the 22nd – 24th of September.

            Reply
    2. Órla reck says:
      January 19, 2023 at 4:52 pm

      Hello
      My name is Órla ,
      My daughter really wants to see the little giant girl ( in the green dress we call her Maria )
      Please keep me informed of the dates or is there anything I can do to allow her to see this giant girl .
      She do much wants to meet her .

      My daughter has autism and really believes that this girl is her friend .

      All help welcome .
      Órla
      Ireland

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        April 2, 2023 at 9:47 am

        It’s now been confirmed that the giants can be seen in Nantes on the 4th weekend of September 2023, 22nd-24th. But I don’t believe the little giant girl is making an appearance, it’s likely to be a repeat of the performance in 2022 with Xolo and the Bulldog.

        Reply
    3. Tamela Price says:
      February 5, 2023 at 6:11 am

      I would like dates on when and where to see these puppets in person

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        April 2, 2023 at 9:47 am

        It’s now been confirmed that the giants can be seen in Nantes on the 4th weekend of September 2023, 22nd-24th.

        Reply
    4. Ginger Montague says:
      March 14, 2023 at 4:35 am

      I want very much to see the giant marionettes and would schedule a flight from the US.

      When and where will that be in 2023?

      Thank you!

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        March 14, 2023 at 8:02 am

        The giants of the Royal de Luxe troup will be in Antwerp from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 August, but there is no confirmation yet on when they’ll be in Nantes.

        Reply
      2. Claire says:
        April 2, 2023 at 9:47 am

        It’s now been confirmed that the giants can be seen in Nantes on the 4th weekend of September 2023, 22nd-24th.

        Reply
    5. Jill says:
      April 7, 2023 at 6:24 pm

      I would like to see the giants in Antwerp August 2023 but do I need to book tickets? What is the route they will take and where would I book suitable accommodation? I can’t seem to find out details n their site.

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        April 11, 2023 at 3:28 pm

        Unfortunately it’s a huge secret which Giants will come to Antwerp in 2023, and there are no details on the route yet either. But keep an eye on my blog here which I’ll update as soon as I know more. You don’t need to book any tickets; it’s a public event. As for where to stay, the historical city centre is ideal, or for something a bit quieter, the Little Island/Het Eilandje is popular.

        Reply
    6. Fanny Baram says:
      May 13, 2023 at 5:47 pm

      Wish to be informed of the next Giants Puppets shows in Europe and also elsewhere in the World. Thank you.

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        May 13, 2023 at 10:00 pm

        Hi! I will definitely be keeping an eye on this, stay tuned for future updates!

        Reply
    7. Joy McGinnis says:
      May 14, 2023 at 3:14 pm

      Have these puppets ever come to Canada? Is there possibly an international tour dates sometime soon?

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        May 14, 2023 at 6:21 pm

        The Giants actually came to Montreal in 2017, but as for if they’re travelling to Canada again sometime soon, I’m afraid there’s no news on that. Stay tuned to the blog however, as I’ll be sure to add a post as soon as there is any announcements!

        Reply
    8. Andrii says:
      May 18, 2023 at 10:10 am

      Hi Claire, thank you for your job, sounds really cool. I would like to visit Nantes show at the end of September. Keep me in touch please about any changes . Thank you so much

      Reply
    9. Deborah says:
      July 22, 2023 at 12:40 pm

      Hi. We will be in France in April, May and June 2024. Will the giant puppets be performing anywhere in France during that time please? We are happy to travel to see them. Thank you.

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        July 23, 2023 at 11:12 am

        There’s no news currently on where the giants will be appearing in 2024, but I will be keeping an eye on it and will post as soon as I know anything!

        Reply
    10. Marilyn Pellouchoud says:
      August 13, 2023 at 10:30 am

      What puppets will there be in Nantes-St Herblain the 22nd to 24th September 2023 please?

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        August 13, 2023 at 5:36 pm

        It’s been confirmed that it will be the two giant dogs, Xolo and Bull Machin.

        Reply
    11. Jane Heneghan says:
      October 20, 2023 at 3:35 pm

      Is is possible to see the puppets at the end of October, is there a permanent exhibition in Nantes that one can visit?

      Reply
      1. Claire says:
        October 23, 2023 at 7:21 am

        Unfortunately not, the puppets aren’t permanently displayed anywhere, they are paraded only on the dates and in the locations advertised.

        Reply
        1. Jane Heneghan says:
          October 23, 2023 at 3:15 pm

          Thank you very much for your fast reply, we will look out for next year and arrange ourselves to coincide with the advertised dates.

          Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Hi! I'm Claire, a plus-sized traveller who spends every moment of her time dreaming of, planning for, and going on travels. My aim is to inspire everyone to get out and explore the world - no matter their shape or size! Read more about where I've been.
    Get in contact
    Loading

    About

    Destinations

    Privacy Policy

    © 2025 My Big Fat Travel Diary | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme