©Nohcab The Machines in Calais: the art of urban theatre
A monumental and fascinating work, the Dragon of Calais, a 72-ton, 10-metre-high mechanical creature, is much more than a simple moving sculpture. It embodies a living spectacle, an immersive experience that enchants visitors of all ages. The Dragon roams the Calais LA Plage seafront, offering open-air performances that combine art, technology and urban poetry.
Cultural and poetic project
Every year, nearly forty thousand travelers from the region and around the world venture onto the back of the Dragon of Calais for an extraordinary experience. The Dragon of Calais, the Traveling Varan, and their world have become such a popular success that François Delaroziere's creations have become, in less than five years, a new symbol of the city of Calais!
The dragon joins the diverse club of other Calais XXL emblems, such as the majestic Cap Blanc Nez Burghers of Calais, Calais-Caudry® LaceThe port and the Channel Tunnel. These are just some of the assets of a destination so rich in these behemoths, which truly showcase the beauty of nature, heritage, and culture on a grand scale. What is unfolding here? A veritable urban tale, part of a collective history that goes far beyond a simple seaside stroll. Calais has embarked on an adventure that will see other species arrive in its streets.
©Nohcab 
©Nohcab The Art of Urban Theatre
The philosophy behind the Dragon of Calais and the Traveling Monitor Lizard is rooted in the concept urban theatre developed by François Delaroziere and his famous company La Machine.
A pioneer in the creation of giant mechanical creatures, Delaroziere transformed urban art into a discipline where public space becomes an open-air stage, accessible to all. For him, every city possesses a soul that art must reveal. He pushes back the boundaries between the public and the artwork, abolishing the traditional barriers of theater to integrate art into the everyday life of the city.
Discover the culture of urban theatre
©Keevin Lecointe 
François Delaroziere
Born in Provence in 1963, the artist found his path as an artist at the Beaux-Arts, where he had a pivotal encounter in 1983 in Aix-en-Provence with the Royal de Luxe company. The fledgling street performance company was making a name for itself, and François Delaroziere joined the adventure. His imagination and inventive spirit transformed his sketches from the realm of fantasy into reality. This marked the beginning of a journey filled with creations and successes.
He designed and directed the construction of the Giant, the Rhinoceros, the Little Giant, the Giraffe and many others. In 1999, he created the La Machine Company and continues to fill sketchbooks. Sets, rides, and fantastical creatures unfold in his mind. In 2003, Nantes was undergoing a major transformation, and a project by François Delaroziere resonated with this: the Machines of the Isle and the Elephant opened to the public in 2007. Around the same time, he played a key role in the architectural redevelopment of Le Channel, the National Stage in Calais. An inventor, set designer, and director, the Provençal artist's creations have captivated millions of spectators from Toulouse to Canada and from Yokohama to Calais.
The universal language of movement
The Dragon of Calais translates deep and universal emotions. His secret? Movement! By animating this gigantic creature, the Dragon Company's machinists bring to life a language without words, where every gesture, every flap of a wing, every eyelash, or every nod of the head carries meaning. This language of movement transcends generations and cultures, touching the human heart.
Interacting with the Dragon allows you to reconnect with simple but essential emotions, such as surprise, wonder, gentle fear or pure joy. Through this encounter, the machinists create a bridge between past and future, between reality and imagination, inviting everyone to let themselves be carried away by the magic of the present moment. The Dragon of Calais, through its gigantism, succeeds in uniting the emotions of all, regardless of age. When it crosses the beach, it creates an obvious moment of sharing, where generations come together in a shared surge of fascination. Parents, grandparents, children and friends find themselves living this timeless experience together.
See the dragon in action!
©Kleec Photography 
©Keevin Lecointe Contemplate and slow down in a big way
The presence of the Dragon of Calais also invites us to stop, to slow down the frenetic pace of everyday life to allow ourselves a moment of reverie, of contemplation. Observe its graceful movements despite its monumental size, listen to its growls that resonate like a call to adventure, feel the air vibrate when it beats its wings… Everything contributes to writing an ode to patience, to the attentive observation of the marvelous that unfolds before our eyes. In a world where everything is always going faster, the Dragon reminds us of the importance of taking our time, thus restoring to the city its role as a public square and meeting place.
A bestiary to discover the city
Calais has experienced the biggest urban theatre show in its history from November 7 to 9, 2025. It marks the arrival of the Traveling Monitor Lizard alongside the Dragon of Calais, both having triumphed over Lilith, the Guardian of Darkness. Sharing DNA with the great saurian, the Monitor Lizard crossed Australia and then Europe, guided by a mysterious magnetic wave emitted by the dragon. From then on, the Calais bestiary expanded! The Traveling Monitor Lizard joined the creatures of the Dragon Company and offered tours of the city. While the Dragon of Calais roams the seafront, the more agile Monitor Lizard took you on a tour of Calais's neighborhoods. Discover the heritage and architecture by climbing onto the Monitor Lizard's back, starting with the maritime identity of our fishermen's quarter: the Sea Courgain.
Traveling on the back of a dragon or a monitor lizard
©Nohcab Land of giants for 30 years
This weekend marks much more than just a cultural event. It is part of a broader initiative led by the City of Calais and the Dragon Company, who has been working to bring the bestiary to life since 2019. Monumental machines, mediation, programming, the giants are part of the very history of the territory. They have taken up residence.
Calais has also maintained a unique relationship with urban theatre and monumental shows for over thirty years. the Giant who fell from the sky de Royal de Luxe in 1994 to the Varan of Voyage in 2025, passing through Long Ma or the Plant Expedition, The city has become a territory of artistic experimentation and collective dreaming. The inaugural Varan de Voyage show is further proof of this.
Tracing 30 years of urban theater
©Laurent Ouisse