As I was on themes park visiting again, I remember this memorable park we came with the family upon arriving in France, OF course, we came back a couple times more early on and then went away into the Morbihan breton, I like to update this older post with new text and using the old pictures, Bear with me and hope you enjoy it as I,
Let me tell you about the Parc Asterix, le French park !!! The quiensentional French attractions park. There are many themes parks in France but this one is as much French as any, therefore, if you come to France for all French ,then you need to bring your children here, period. I know I took mine earlier, tiny kids of about 10-12 years old and they love it so much still today young men they still remember fondly of their visits here with Mom and Dad. At the more French parc Asterix , a tourist complex including a theme park and now three hotels opened on 30 April 1989. The theme park is dedicated to the world of comics from Uderzo and Goscinny, and it is located in Plailly, Oise, dept 60 about 30 km from Paris. It is not open all year, need to check their schedules online.
I like to tell you a bit about their history as I like it,
From 1981, Albert Uderzo, after visiting Disneyland in California, imagines a project of an amusement park on the theme of Asterix. The summer of 1987 marks the beginning of the construction of the park ,the location is chosen among other things , because of its network of communications such as the nearby Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport at only 10 km away, a private interchange connects the park to the A1 highway and a shuttle service makes the junction with a metro line.
The 22-hectare amusement park is completed in 1989 with five thematic areas: Via Antiqua, the village of Asterix, the Rue de Paris, the Great Lake and the Roman city. In 1993, Great European Theme Parks was founded in response to the arrival of Euro Disneyland. Its members were Europa-Park, Alton Towers, Parc Asterix, Efteling and Liseberg. By 1994, it was already profitable, and in the same year, Parc Asterix SA was introduced to the Second market of the Paris Stock Exchange. In 1998,it bought the Grand aquarium Saint-Malo .In 1999, it merged with the Grévin-France Miniature Museum Group. The company then becomes Grévin & Compagnie SA. This year, 1999 the 3-Hiboux (owl) hotel with a capacity of 100 rooms is inaugurated in July. The Hotel des 3 Hiboux added in 2017 50 additional rooms to reach the number of 150. In addition, a convention and seminar center is in addition to the availability offered by the park. In june 2002 , the Compagnie des Alpes acquired Grévin & Cie via a takeover bid and created CDA Parks (Compagnie des Alpes ) ; in turn control by Caisse des Dépôts since same year, It now counting 12 parks and the current owners. Webpage : https://www.compagniedesalpes.com/en
There have been some innovations such as the “Lutèce Plage” or lutecia beach event which consists of a beach and entertainment on the shores of the Grand Lac in summer. Another event celebrating Halloween during the event “Fear on Parc Astérix” ,The new Attention Menhir !, , A new system named Filotomatix, a time slot reservation service is launched.
Today, the Parc Asterix park is officially composed of six universes, which are:
Via antiqua : This part allows access to the heart of the park. The public can find all the traditional services there, such as information points and cash desks. The “street” also contains many shops and food outlets such as the croissant de Diane, the large market of Lutèce, the Gallic galleries, the bonbon palace, at Rahazade, Numérobis, Gravedanlonix or even Le Bon Légionnaire. It is decorated according to the lands traveled in The Adventures of Asterix such as Belgium Gaul, Germany, Rome, India, Helvetia and Egypt. Lutèce can be recognized in various places. The attentive observer sees the Bocca della Verità, the Manneken-Pis, a Swiss cuckoo clock and the Nemean lion.
The Roman Empire: It presents itself as entirely decorated on the theme of the Roman Empire. True to the cartoon, the public will find humorous signs and inscriptions, including a sign pointing to Rome in all directions, in accordance with the proverb “All roads lead to Rome”. This district offers five attractions and one show: Romus and Rapidus: a Rapid river on board large buoys; Les Espions de César: aerial circuit where passengers board small, slow-moving vehicles, formerly equipped with pedals to increase their speed; Le Carrousel de César: carousel on the theme of the main comic book characters ; The Little Train: Children’s Train ; Caesar’s Challenge: Mad House on the Recruitment of the Roman Legion ; Gaulois-Romains: le match: show taking place in the 940-seat Roman arena located at the exit of Via Antiqua.
The Ancient Greece: The village was previously included in the Grand Lac district. Entirely dedicated to the theme of the Hellenic world and its mythology, it illustrates the humorous style famous in comics by Uderzo and Goscinny.Seven attractions and one show are located in this area:The Trojan Horse: a flying carpet-type attraction, The Flight of Icarus: roller coaster on the theme of the flight and then the fall of Daedalus’ son;The River of Elis: peaceful journey aboard small buoys in the typical Greek gardens in reference to Elis ; the Lernaean Hydra: octopus-like attraction in the image of the Lernaean Hydra; Tonnerre 2 Zeus: wooden roller coaster with a height of thirty-three meters and a speed of around 90 km/h ; Discobelix: Ancient Olympic Games-themed Disk’O Coaster attraction; Pegasus Express: Launched Roller Coaster , with the specialty of going back halfway; The Poseidon Theater It was named dolphinarium before the district became a clean zone it is redesigned and reopens in 2022 to offer Les Plongeons de l’Olympe, a diving show performed by athletes,
The Vikings : The theme district is home to six attractions: La Galère: rocking boat type attraction; L’Escadrille des aces: merry-go-round of small planes ; The Mini Carrousel: carousel for toddlers ; Les Petits Drakkars: merry-go-round of small boats;Les Petites Chaises volantes: merry-go-round of flying chairs reserved for children ; Goudurix: metal roller coaster. Long holders of the European record for inversions with 7 elements, Aerolaf: Aerobar This bar which rises along a thirty-five meter tower is not considered an attraction. It is operated by a company external to Parc Astérix, the latter receiving remuneration from said company.
A travers le temps (Through time): Illustrating Paris, the first part of this universe focuses on the life of the Middle Ages and its knights. The area then evolves, moving from the Middle Ages to the 17C and 18C. It is within this zone that the majority of special events take place during the Halloween period. The visitor finds five attractions and three shows: Les Chevaux du roy: carousel similar to its Roman Empire counterpart, but oriented to a medieval theme ; National 7: circuit of clunkers through a small countryside evoking the blue route During the seasons of Peur sur le Parc,(Halloween) the course is redesigned and renamed Le Chemin des Sorciers;The Flying Chairs Carousel; The Oxygenarium: descent of buoys in a large slide. The script is summarized as follows: “Ferdinand de Teffélé, on the occasion of the Paris Invention Fair, offers a machine to take a breath of fresh air. Decontamination, expiration, arrival at the tops of the peaks and it’s the fall”. ; Attention Menhir: ten-minute film shown in a three-hundred-seat 4-D cinema. Named Les Studios Idéfix, this theater replaces the Cinématographe. The attraction lasts twenty minutes in total ;Hands down on the Mona Lisa: stunt show. A chase between thieves and policemen, with pyrotechnic effects ; The House of July 14: animated automata.
Bienvenue chez le Gaulois : (Welcome to the Gaul): This area contains twelve attractions and offers two shows: Toutatis: launched roller coaster, scheduled for 2023; Épidemaïs Cruises: boat circuit going around the village Passengers find characters from the main adventures of Asterix (Astérix chez Rahàzade, Asterix chez les Helvètes, etc.); The Cauldrons: Cup-type ride where visitors sit in cauldrons During the Halloween period (Peur sur le Parc), the attraction sees its decoration slightly altered as well as its name (Les Chaudrons infernaux); Menhir Express: log-type attraction. Course between the forest and the Egyptian zone ending with a fall of thirteen meters; La Trace du Hooray: bobsled roller coaster Nine hundred meters of descent at a speed approaching 60 km/h; Grand Splatch: aquatic circuit on the heights of the rock of Asterix – emblem of the park, visible from the highway – ending in a fall ; The Little Storm: music express ; The Little Bumper Tanks: Bumper Cars for Children. ; At Gyrofolix: Nebulaz-type ride, planned for 2023; Chronos: magic show taking place in the 600-seat Panoramix Theater ; Du Rififi dans la basse-cour: show at the Bard’s theater featuring a Roman soldier accidentally catapulted into the Gallic village, Transgénix (the soothsayer).
There is ,also, the Forest of Dogmatix (Idéfix) with Énigmatix: Small waterfall, Challis: Barnyard, Lavomatix: Jump around; Hydrolix: Aérodynamix Junior logs: Magic bikes.. Egypt : his 2.5 hectare Ancient Egyptian themed area offers visitors two attractions: OzIris. The course includes five inversions as well as a passage under a pool after a lift of 40 meters. ; and SOS Numérobis: junior roller coaster with a length of two hundred meters.
The Parc Asterix had one hotel ,the Hôtel des 3 Hiboux , and now has two more, the la Cité suspendue, and the Les Quais de Lutèce. And how you get here! Be early and if you are like we come by car and got on the A1 autoroute:highway/motorway, and between exits 7 and 8 ,there is a private ramp to come into the park at approx. 40 min/30 km from Paris. Parking paying now 15€. By shuttle at CDG T3 ,and from RER B station “Aéroport Charles de Gaulle”, But never taken these public transports fyi.
The official Parc Asterix : https://www.parcasterix.fr/
The Paris tourist office on the Parc Asterix : https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/72750/Parc-Asterix
The Chantilly-Senlis tourist office on the Parc Asterix : https://www.chantilly-senlis-tourisme.com/en/la-destination/le-parc-asterix/
There you go folks, you can read it is more European, French and an enjoyable part of living here with children. The Parc Asterix is a must to visit especially with children to teens, Hope you enjoy the post and the parc as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 