Places near me Random place
All France Nantes 'Mètre à Ruban'

'Mètre à Ruban'

A massively oversized measuring tape sculpture sits inside a hidden yard.

Nantes, France

ideamissing profile photo
  ideamissing / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

This Place Is a Stub

Help improve this place with additional information or photos.

Make an Edit

About

If you want to see everyday life things in their full brilliance, you might be interested in the work of the French artist Lilian Bourgeat, who creates oversized copies of simple objects.

One of Bourgeat's works is hidden in a little courtyard of a construction company on the isle of Nantes. A massive measuring tape in a classic bright yellow hue, the installation is titled simply "Mètre à Ruban" ("Measuring Tape").  The measuring tape is actually a replica of the one Bourgeat himself carries everywhere he goes. Instead of simply a measuring tool, it is "136 meters of happiness," as the artist describes it.

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Related Tags

Art Outside Sculptures Artists Tools

Community Contributors

ideamissing profile photo

Added By

ideamissing

Published

May 17, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Related Places

  • Tom Otterness Playground

    New York, New York

    Silver Towers Playground

    This sculptural piece by the artist Tom Otterness doubles as a jungle gym.

  • Photo by Mister Manel / Casa do Leão Cultural Atelier

    Vale do Sol, Brazil

    House of the Lion

    A living folk-art atelier where a Brazilian self-taught artist is building one of the largest lion sculptures in the world.

  • Sea Pink

    Aarhus, Denmark

    Sea Pink

    A giant pair of rose-tinted sunglasses offers an illuminated view of Aarhus Bay.

  • This scenic park on the shores of Lake Ontario is open 24/7.

    Toronto, Ontario

    Sundial Folly

    An enigmatic concrete structure in a lakeside Toronto park raises more questions than answers.

  • Elogio del Horizonte

    Gijón, Spain

    Elogio del Horizonte

    This modern sculpture looks out over the sea and amplifies sound from the inside.

  • Hammering Man

    Basel, Switzerland

    Hammering Man

    This 42-foot tribute to the workforce still reminds us to pause and recharge.

  • Ángel Mateos Museum, MÁM

    Salamanca, Spain

    Ángel Mateos Museum

    A Brutalist monument and "sculpture that contains many sculptures."

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member