A theme park without any rides. Travel back in time by visiting Puy du Fou, France's best kept adventure park secret.
This is the final part of Puy du Fou. In the previous articles, I featured:
Puy du Fou Historical Theme Park (Part 1): Cinéscénie Scenic Open-Air Theatrical Show
Puy du Fou Historical Theme Park (Part 2): 18th Century Village
Puy du Fou Historical Theme Park (Part 3) Medieval Village
The 55-hectare Grand Park is divided into Period Villages. It showcases a total of 26 main shows that run from 17- 45 minutes, strategically placed according to their historical period.
They have reconstructed detailed period sets. Visitors need to go through forests and gardens to reach a different era.
How It All Began
Puy du Fou started in June 1977 when Philippe de Villiers and Jean Saint Bris discovered old ruins of a Renaissance Castle where they started to create son et lumiere (sound and light) shows set in the beautiful Loire Valley. They use this Castle as the main backdrop for the spectacular night show, Cinéscénie which was first launched in 1978. The show was a great success.
The Grand Park located next to the Cinescenie stage opened to the public in 1989. This international award winning historical theme park ranks 2nd most popular in France next to Disneyland Paris.
The Renaissance Castle (La Renaissance du Chateau)
Imagine you are invited at the castle and there's a wedding feast preparation with King Francis I and Henry XVIII as guests of honour. Yes, the Renaissance at the Castle of Puy du Fou in western France will make this daydream happen.
Beautiful costumes.
The lady narrates and welcomes the guests.
A royal walk through armored knights.
Splendid lighting by ACT Lighting Design
This is one of my favourite themed sites in the park, so much that I did it twice. Paintings talk, mirrors watch you in a Harry Potteresque fashion, the scents, sights, and sounds where the ghosts of the past linger. In any minute you are convinced that Leonardo da Vinci will appear in one of the rooms of the castle and stand next to you. (He wasn't there just in case you look for him). I was astonished and immensely impressed by the concept of walking through a row of knights in armour.
Where else can we experience that?
On the way to another period village, we passed through a formal garden with Verlaine's poetry played in a speaker along with classical music of that era.
Triumph's Sign (Le Signe du Triomphe)
Chariot race. The entire crowd roared around the amphiteater,
"Gauls!"
Never in my life have I ever thought that I would be sitting in a semi-circular 6,000 seat Roman-Gallo stadium to watch a chariot race. The thundering hooves of chariot horses echoed while they circled around the arena in an intense atmosphere.
Origin of France - Gaul
Tracing back the origin of France, Romans called the country, Gaul.
This was around 51-58 BC when Julius Caesar invaded the Celtic area. Gaul covered areas of France, Belgium, Luxembourg and parts of Netherlands, Switzerland and even Germany. The country is composed of different tribes. The people who rose to fight against the Roman conquest were called Gauls.
Gladiator Style Combat
A Roman governor presides the ceremonies in the amphiteater and watched Gaul prisoners dragged in chains rounded up by Roman centurions for a gladiator- style combat. Lions and tigers were released, geese in formation, and the 42-minute circus-like show takes one back through time.
It was surreal, crazy and bizarre but definitely spectacular.
Duration of the show: 42 minutes
The Vikings (Les Vikings)
Watch a scary Viking Longship attack an old 1000 year old village of Fort de l'An Mil after a marriage celebration in the village. The effects are stunning, with fire launched burning thatched roofs while the longship appears from beneath the water.
Duration of the show: 26 minutes
France in the 1900s
A market square where you can spend time browsing through authentic, bakeries, groceries, and shops selling exactly the same merchandise available during that time with busy storekeepers wearing period costumes.
The show featured here is a town crier citing the "public notices" forbidding music, while the rest of the musical machines play their music throughout the town square.
The Bistrot. Experience traditional French cuisine in Au Bourg 1900, a 19th Century Brasserie.
The Gardens
Visit a Roseraie , a rose garden.
It took us two full days and one evening to make the most of the park. They launch a new show and continue to innovate every year.
They have launched international shows, Puy du Fou Espana in Toledo, Spain last year that would take spectators through the history of Spain.
The next Puy du Fou project will be launching in the Netherlands with the “Raveleijn” Show this year. It is inspired by a Dutch story featuring the history of the country.
Do you like theme parks?
Thank you for reading. You might be interested in these previous Puy du Fou posts:
Puy du Fou Historical Theme Park (Part 1): Cinéscénie Scenic Open-Air Theatrical Show
Puy du Fou Historical Theme Park (Part 2): 18th Century Village
Puy du Fou Historical Theme Park (Part 3) Medieval Village