 Steampunk at the Service of Reinvented Heritage and Tourism, La Halle de la Machine and L’Envol des Pionniers – Toulouse MétropoleLe Steampunk au service du tourisme et du patrimoine réinventés. La Halle de la Machine et L’Envol des Pionniers – Toulouse MétropolePatrice Ballester ()
Post-Print from HAL Abstract: The concept of steampunk — literally "steam-powered punk" — is characterised by an alternative reimagining of the nineteenth century, in which the aesthetics of the Industrial Revolution intertwine with Victorian refinement and imagined technologies. This uchronian vision ("what if… in the past") is not merely a creative exercise but also a tool for re-enchanting industrial heritage and enhancing its touristic appeal. Such an approach allows the industrial remnants located on the periphery of the Greater Toulouse area to transcend their status as static relics, transforming them into spaces of experience, narrative, and reinterpretation. Within Toulouse Métropole, two recent cultural facilities exemplify this convergence of heritage, tourism, and spectacle on the urban outskirts: La Halle de la Machine and L'Envol des Pionniers, both situated in the historic Montaudran district, formerly the runway of the legendary Aéropostale. L'Envol des Pionniers traces the history of early aviation through aircraft, scale models, archival materials, and interactive exhibits. A few steps away, La Halle de la Machine, designed by architect Patrick Arotcharen, houses the creations of the Compagnie La Machine: "performance machines," giant automata, and mechanical scenographies that transform the site into a realm of kinetic wonder. In this context, steampunk assumes a dual function. Firstly, it constitutes a powerful touristic attraction through its spectacular aesthetics — the movement of machines, the "industrial fantasy" atmosphere, and the sensory-landscape engagement that captivates a broad non-specialist audience. Secondly, it functions as a form of heritage mediation, with steampunk design reviving traces of the industrial or aeronautical past — hangars, runways, engines, and rigging — by embedding them within an imaginative and narrative framework. The outcome is a transition from static to living heritage, one that reconsiders technological history, working-class memory, and past innovation. However, this alliance also entails challenges in terms of understanding, interpretation, and reception. On the one hand, the touristic dimension may prioritise spectacle over historical rigour or local appropriation; on the other, the heritage narrative staged through mechanical imagination raises questions regarding the depth of territorial engagement and sustainability. Moreover, public controversies have occasionally arisen, such as those provoked by performances deemed anti-Christian by the Toulouse community. These instances reveal the tension between artistic expression and civic sensibility in the reinvention of pagan imaginaries. Nonetheless, this approach demonstrates that steampunk cannot be reduced to nostalgia or a backward-looking or outdated vision. Rather, it represents a creative reappropriation of industrial memory, a means of refreshing the past and infusing it with new life. The aim is not to look back with melancholy, but to render the past alive, in a sense transforming it into a material for aesthetic and reflective experimentation that renews both meaning and the desire to rediscover technical and historical heritage. In France, Dieppe, Nantes, Voyag'imaginaire (Chivres‑Val, Aisne), the Steampunk Festival – Cité du Train (Mulhouse), and occasionally the Jules Verne Museum serve as illustrative case studies. The example of Toulouse Métropole is particularly instructive, as it intertwines the memory of aviation — a heritage that is both technological and human — with an ambitious cultural and touristic dynamic. The Montaudran district, once a driver of industrial activity, has become a centre for cultural, scientific, and spectacular tourism. The Piste des Géants, La Halle de la Machine, and L'Envol des Pionniers all form part of this evolving landscape. The steampunk dimension is evident in the machines, the scenography, and the architectural vocabulary, which give substance to this process of patrimonial reconversion while projecting it towards the future, a future sometimes marked by real-estate speculation and renewed cultural debate. In conclusion, the use of steampunk in this type of heritage and tourism project reveals a hybrid trajectory: a form of heritage tourism that is simultaneously experience, narrative, and spectacle, while also serving as an act of mediating technical and working-class memory. It involves diverting industrial legacy to render it accessible, appealing, and meaningful. For heritage and tourism professionals, the mobilisation of a strong steampunk imaginary can thus serve as a powerful lever to reactivate peripheral territories, create new circuits of visitation (business tourism), and renew audiences (MICE). The example of La Halle de la Machine and L'Envol des Pionniers in Toulouse Métropole demonstrates that such a strategy is not only possible but has already been successfully embodied in the narrative and performative reinvention of heritage, albeit with certain limitations inherent to any leisure enterprise. Keywords: Steampunk; Toulouse; MICE; heritage; events; architecture; urban periphery; patrimoine; événementiel; périphérie urbaine (search for similar items in EconPapers) Published in International Conference Heritage and the Metropolis Heritage dynamics in the urban peripheries, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, France, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain & University of Edinburgh, UK, Apr 2026, Paris Sorbonne, France There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it. Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05430788 Access Statistics for this paper More papers in Post-Print from HAL |
Is your work missing from RePEc? Here is how to contribute.
Questions or problems? Check the EconPapers FAQ or send mail to .
EconPapers is hosted by the
School of Business at Örebro University.