Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

It’s a Mystery

Posted by James Turnbull, Wednesday, 24th October 2007

There’s a neat question mark, about 11m tall, drawn on the ground of a construction site in the city of Rennes, France.

Of course, the question about this question is: why is it there?

The “?” appears to be made out of grass, perhaps by removing the turf around it. However, in this photo of the construction site there is curved paving to the bottom left which could correspond to the area of the question mark.

I also found these pictures which might be of the same area, but they don’t provide many additional clues.

So, I’m turning it over to you, our sleuthing readers, to solve this mystery! Any ideas?

Thanks to Julien Balas

Countries: France

Posted in: Large Type, Weirdness

9 Responses to 'It’s a Mystery'

1. Ben says: October 25th, 2007 at 6:44 am
How did you find the ground level images?!
2. James says: October 25th, 2007 at 7:21 am
Sorry Ben, I can’t tell you that - it’s our trade secret!

The first image was geo-tagged in Panoramio, then I Googled the surrounding street names and eventually found the other page of images.
3. Michi the Wanderer says: October 25th, 2007 at 7:40 am
they have made it for let us ask ourself why they have made it.. simple! not?
4. RJ Marquette says: October 25th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Perhaps it is a tribute to Question Mark of ? and the Mysterians.
5. yym_c says: October 25th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
The curved items are pre-cast spiral staircases
6. Keith T. says: October 25th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Yes, that’s likely the question mark in the ground level photo; the bushes directly “above” the question mark are literally in the same shape in both photos.
7. Matarjeu says: October 26th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Hello !

Sorry for my poor english, I hope you’ll understand…

This question-mark is a real one, made in july 2006. It’s a creation of Estelle Sämson and Erik de Roost, members of the french artists group “Les ateliers du vent”. They used to organize a party each summer, right in this place, next to the river. They have been expropriated by the City, and a property developper bought the site. Before leaving, Les Ateliers du vent have organized different happenings to ask the question of the nature in the city. Right on the question mark - made of barley, not of grass - there is now a building.
8. James says: October 28th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Mystery solved - thanks Matarjeu!

I found mention of the party on the artists’ website via the Google translation, which talks about “a question mark where giant grew from barley”.
9. Jean-Louis says: October 29th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Hi,
it’s indeed an artistic work - you can find a nice picture of the artwork at : http://www.lesateliersduvent.org/?fiche=118&id_media=3
Jean-Louis