Forget Disneyland Paris, this is France’s wildest theme park
The eagles come swooping towards us so rapidly that we collectively, instinctively duck, just in case. Peeking back, we see one set of talons perched on the edge of this open-air arena, while another eagle clings to the gloved falconer standing in the aisles. Glancing up, our pulses rocketing, eyes darting, we wonder what’s heading our way next.
The Colosseum-like ampitheatre.
Owls, vultures, storks and spoonbills are some of the other 330 flying, feathered stars of Le Bal des Oiseaux Fantomes (The Ghost Birds’ Ball). Supported by an on-the-ground cast of costumed falconers, knights and fair maidens, this aerial ballet is one of the brilliantly orchestrated spectacles at Puy du Fou.
Garlanded with awards, it’s a family-friendly theme park with a difference, one without rides as such, but more than 20 swashbuckling shows and walk-through experiences, many featuring lavishly attired actors and animals, magnificent sets, high-tech audiovisuals and entertaining snippets of French history, culture, myths and legends.
Spread out around the ruins of a medieval fortress, almost 400 kilometres southwest of Paris, Puy du Fou is just an hour by car from the city of Nantes, the Atlantic coast and the Loire Valley. Exploring its pleasingly landscaped grounds on foot, you’ll find streets, squares, eateries and venues styled with period architecture from various epochs.
Particularly show-stopping is a Colosseum-esque amphitheatre, which seats up to 7000 people for a crowd-pleasing romp set in ancient Gaul (France) when the Romans ruled the roost. Expect gladiator battles, a hair-raising chariot race and a parade involving ostriches, camels and a gaggle of geese.
Part of the rollicking Puy du Fou “Secret de la Lance” performance.
To watch this, and other popular live draws, such as Vikings on the rampage and Merlin-inspired magic at King Arthur’s castle, you’ll probably need to queue. Doors open roughly 30 minutes before the shows, which are staged a handful of times per day, each performance lasting 30-40 minutes.
Several attractions are open all day, including The Mystery of La Perouse. We board a rickety, swaying model of the ill-fated expedition ship of the French explorer who disappeared in 1788, not long after setting sail from Sydney. Even more atmospheric are the World War I trenches, where actors playing gun-toting soldiers charge past as nurses tend to their wounded pals while bomb and bullet sounds crackle beyond.
The park’s medieval city.
Other shows delve into French mime and cinema, Napoleon’s exile to Saint Helena and royalist counter-revolutionaries. When you’re peckish, have a crepe or croque monsieur on the go or a sit-down meal – and cabaret – at a Belle Epoque restaurant.
The difficulty with Puy du Fou is trying to fit everything in, especially if, like us, you’re only day-tripping here. Consider overnighting at one of the quirky onsite hotels, a Gallo-Roman villa or a Louis XIV-themed palace, perhaps. With two days here, you’ll see it all.
There’s an app enabled by Wi-Fi where you can map out an itinerary and read detailed English explanations of the shows, which typically take place solely in French. Sometimes the app has translated live commentary, but this option is patchy on our visit (we also hear English families struggling with it).
A viking extravaganza.
But Puy du Fou is such a visual feast that your French can be as bad as mine and you’ll still enjoy it. This is doubly so with the stunningly choreographed, post-sunset finale, which mingles fire, water, acrobats, divers and classical music on a lake like the one at the Chateau of Versailles.
Our only regret is that we don’t see La Cinescenie. Billed as the world’s biggest nighttime show, it’s a 90-minute historical extravaganza involving 2550 actors – mostly local volunteers, held Fridays and Saturdays from June to September.
Hopefully we’ll catch it next time. Because we’ll come back to Puy du Fou. It’s always evolving – they regularly add new shows – and who knows, maybe my French will have improved by then.
THE DETAILS
VISIT
Open April-November, Puy du Fou is €42 ($70) for adults, €30 ($50) for children 3-13 years for online advance tickets. La Cinescenie costs extra. See puydufou.com
The writer travelled at his own expense.
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