Puy du Fou
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Medieval town
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| Slogan | "Préparez-vous à voyager dans le temps" (Prepare yourself for a travel through the ages) |
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| Location | Les Epesses, Vendée, France |
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Owner | Association du Puy du Fou |
| Opened | Cinéscénie: 1978 Grand Parc: 1989 |
| Operating season | From April to September |
| Area | Cinéscénie: 23 hectares (57 acres) Grand Parc: 45 hectares (110 acres) |
| Website | Main site |
Puy du Fou [pɥi dy fu] is a historical theme park in Les Epesses (between Cholet and La Roche-sur-Yon) in the heart of the Vendée region of Western France. The park brings in some 2 million visitors every year, making it the fourth most popular attraction in France after Disneyland Paris.[1]
Contents
History
The history of the Puy du Fou (literally "Volcanic hill of the beech") as a theme park started in 1977 when Philippe de Villiers, a twenty-seven-year-old student (now a French politician) and Jean Saint Bris, a young creator of son et lumière shows in the Loire Valley, decided to create an original show named the Cinéscénie which means "the stage in moving".
When they discovered on the 13th of June 1977 the ruins of an old renaissance castle in the village of Les Epesses near Cholet, they wrote a good scenario very quickly about a local family named Maupillier (the real name of a soldier of Vendée at the time of the conflict between Vendée and the French Republic during the French Revolution), spanning from the fourteenth century until World War II.
Phillippe de Villiers and Jean Saint Bris organised an association of 600 members (more than 3000 today) named "l'Association du Puy du Fou" which has as president today Phillippe de Villiers' son, Nicolas de Villiers.
When the first representation of the Cinéscénie began in June 1978, the show didn't have great success, but that quickly changed by the end of the first season, and with that success the show grew into a huge spectacular. It has since spawned its own micro-industry of actors, prop-makers and trainers for the featured horse riding and sword fighting, which, since 1998, has been due to the efforts of the "Académies Junior" who organized shows every year outside the Cinéscénie, such as the Paris Paname in the "Halle Renaissance" of the Grand Park, in March 2008.
The Grand Park of the Puy du Fou was opened near the Cinéscénie in 1989 and is today one of the most popular theme parks in France; in 2004, 98% of visitors were happy or very happy with their visit.[citation needed]
In 2011, the Grand Park of the Puy du Fou hosted the team presentations prior to the Tour de France, which was set to begin in the Vendée.[2]
Attractions
The park is split into five separate attractions, each running for approximately 30 – 40 minutes:
The Secret of the Lance is set in front of the battlements of a Middle Age Castle. It relates the story of a young shepherdess who must defend alone her donjon from the English knights, helped by a lance with supernatural powers. It is the new show in 2010, replacing The Battle of the Keep.
The Vikings is set in a reconstructed 1000-year-old fortress that is attacked by a Viking Longship.The story begins with a marriage in the village, just before the arrival of a Viking longboat. Special effects include the emergence of a Longboat from underwater, and a saint walking on the water. '
Triumph's Sign (2) (new 2011) is set in a replica of an amphitheater that is 115 meters long and 75 meters wide. It replaces the previous Gladiators. It recreates the Gaul atmosphere during Roman times. It features a traditional parade of people and animals, gladiatorial combat, chariot racing and executions. It is set during the time of Diocletian, when there was great unrest.
The Phantom Birds Dance is a show set to a mysterious story. Dozens of birds of prey surge from the ruins and swoop low over the heads of the visitors. The falcons are placed on the heads of some visitors wearing hats by the falconers. Many of the larger birds are released from a balloon floating far overhead. This ends with around a hundred birds flying at once around the audience.
Richelieu's Musketeers features Musketeers performing swash-buckling sword fighting and Gypsy girls Flamenco dancing in water. Horses also perform special trotting/ jumping techniques. Performed in complete darkness, this is the only show that is staged indoors.
During April, July and August 2010 after sunset the Grand Park presents Les Orgues de feu (except on Fridays and Saturdays for the summer season). This show takes place completely on the water and depicts a love story between two musicians.
The above spectacles are presented in French, but electronic translators are available. Other smaller spectacles are available only in French:
- Le Magicien Ménestrel (magic show) - discontinued
- Le Carillon Animé (musical show)
- Les Musiciens Traditionels (musical show)
- Le Chemin de la Mémoire
- L'Odyssée du Puy du Fou (attraction (inside) ending with a spectacular water show)
- La légende de Martin (puppets)
- Les Automates Musiciens du Bourg 1900 (musical show)
- Les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde (Short Spectacle including illusions) - Replacing Le Magicie Ménestrel from 2013
The Cinéscénie
The main show takes place in the evening on a huge outdoor stage behind the ruined castle. It tells the story of the 700 years of history in the area. The Cinéscénie boasts the largest stage in the world, thousands of actors, hundreds of horses and about 400 fireworks per performance.[1] All of the dialog is in French, but English and Dutch dialog is provided via headphones. All of the actors and actresses (even the children) come from the local villages and are volunteers. The Cinéscénie is only peak season - starts 7 June in 2008 and not every day. It is bookable separately and has a separate entrance. All the tourist info centres sell tickets for the same price in advance.
Points of interest
Awards
- 13 August 2011, Puy du Fou won the silver Jupiter at the "Internationale des Feux Loto Quebec", the greatest international competition of pyrotechnic at Montréal.[3][4]
- 17 March 2012, Puy du Fou was elected "World's best theme park" by the « Thea Classic Award 2012 », at Los Angeles by an independent jury.[5]
- 2013: it was titled "best European theme park" by the Parksmania Awards in Italy.[6]
- 2014: it received the Applause Award from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Weekend Breaks: the Vendée's Puy du Fou - Expatica
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.puydufou.com/histoires-de-ouf/news-du-jour/le-jupiter-dargent-est-au-puy-du-fou/ Le Jupiter d'Argent est au Puy du Fou
- ↑ http://www.puystory.fr/archives/2011/08/09/21763774.html
- ↑ Le Puy du Fou, meilleur parc de loisirs, Le Figaro, 17 mars 2012.
- ↑ Parksmania Awards 2013
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grand Parc du Puy du Fou. |
- Main site
- Puyfolonaute.com a forum about the Puy du Fou in French but some members can answer your questions in English
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles with unsourced statements from July 2008
- Commons category link is locally defined
- 1978 establishments in France
- Amusement parks in France
- Buildings and structures in Vendée
- Visitor attractions in Pays de la Loire
- Visitor attractions in Vendée
- Castles in Pays de la Loire
- 1989 establishments in France
