Would you like to spend one or more days in one of the amusement parks in France or Europe? For the shows, theattractions, the rides or the water games? Here’s our selection of the most visited, for all ages and all seasons.
History of theme parks in France
The first amusement parks in France date back to medieval fairs and the ceremonial gardens of castles.
The Foire du Trône in Paris, which dates back to the 12th century, is one of the oldest examples of a simple place of sale that became a place of entertainment over time. At the time, these were mainly markets for sales, but fairs also offered entertainment such as shows and games.
At the same time, the nobles redoubled their creativity to turn their parks into places to visit and enjoy.
For example, the Château de Vieil-Hesdin, which belonged to the Kings of France, was renowned for its automata and other curiosities that visitors loved between the 12th and 15th centuries: a sundial, a distorting mirror, a menagerie, a labyrinth, a caravan* in the middle of a splendidly wooded park.
Over the years, the attractions and technologies used in French amusement parks have evolved considerably. From the first steam-powered rides to modern roller coasters, interactive shows and virtual reality experiences,innovation is at the heart of this entertainment industry.
Since the end of the last century, parks have begun to integrate themes and scenarios to enhance the visitor experience. This development was inspired in part by American theme parks such as Disneyland in the United States.
In France, this movement has given rise to a new generation of theme parks such as Parc Astérix (1989) and Disneyland Paris (1992), which offer attractions and shows based on specific universes known to the general public.
Amusement and leisure parks
From the best-known to the most popular, from rides to animals, from entertainment to comic strips, here is our small selection of parks of all kinds, in the 4 corners of France’s regions:
Disneyland Paris
With almost 10 million visitors a year, Disneyland Paris has been the most visited theme park in France and Europe since 1992.
Covering almost 2,300 hectares, two parks, a shopping area with shops and restaurants and 6 hotels welcome you, not to mention musicals, parades and other shows.
Several themes with entertainment and rides await you: Main Street, Frontierland, Adventurland, Fantasyland, Discoveryland… So many worlds to delight young and old for an unforgettable stay.
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Walt Disney Studios Paris
Opened in 2002, 10 years after Disneyland, Walt Disney Studios Paris welcomes over 5 million visitors a year.
It is divided into several themed areas: Front Lot, Studio 1, Toon Studio, World Pixar, Production Courtyard, Avengers Campus, with around twenty attractions.
Promenade du Lac, The Snow Queen and Star Wars are the areas under development.
As the seasons go by and the films become more successful, some attractions give way to others, all based on the theme of animated films and adventure.
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Parc Asterix Paris
Opened in 1989, Parc Astérix now covers 34 hectares with several themed areas, land and water attractions and 3 hotels.
The park is divided into several worlds, with different activities and rides depending on the area: Ancient Via, the Roman Empire, Ancient Greece, the Vikings, through time and Gaul.
With almost 3 million visitors a year, it has become the 3rd largest leisure park in France after Disney Paris.
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Futuroscope Poitiers
Located in the heart of a technology park some ten kilometres from Poitiers in the Vienne department, Futuroscope was opened in 1987.
Spanning 35 hectares, this theme park offers a unique leisure and entertainment experience in France based on technology and innovation:
shows, simulators, outdoor attractions and rides, multi-dimensional projections, as well as play areas and the Futuropolis area.
With almost 2 million visitors a year, this park is the 4th largest in France.
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Nigloland
Inaugurated in 1987, the Nigloland theme park now covers 40 hectares in the commune of Dolancourt in the department of Aube.
The theme park is made up of 4 villages: Canadian, Swiss, Rock’n’Roll and Wonderful.
On the attractions side, there are several roller coasters, some aquatic, others thrilling, and a host of rides, all enhanced by shows and events throughout the opening months.
With over 760,000 admissions by 2022, Nigloland is France’s 5th biggest theme park in terms of visitor numbers.
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Le Pal, amusement and wildlife park
Le Pal is both a leisure park and a zoo, with more than 1,000 animals and around thirty attractions spread over 50 hectares.
The site has been open since 1973 in the commune of Saint-Pourçain-sur-Bresbe in the Allier department, at a place called Le Pal.
The zoo park features the Argentinian pampas and African plains, as well as numerous other animals in different areas.
The theme park is built around roller coasters, water and thrill rides, as well as other rides.
A hotel and lodges complete the range of accommodation on offer.
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Walibi Rhône-Alpes
Opened in 1979 as Avenir Land, the park has evolved over the decades to become Walibi Rhône-Alpes.
An amusement park and water park since 1986, this leisure park covers 33 hectares in the commune of Les Avenières in Isère.
Roller coasters, water courses and other rides are complemented by entertainment and shows during the summer season.
In 2022, more than 600,000 visitors came to the Walibi Rhône-Alpes theme park.
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Beauval Zoo Park
Since 1989, Beauval has been a zoological park, with its origins in the Saint-Aignan ornithological park in the Loir-et-Cher département.
Covering 44 hectares, with over 800 species and 35,000 animals, Beauval Zoo is the leading French park of its kind and the 4th largest in Europe, with 2 million visitors.
2 African and Chinese zones, 2 areas dedicated to shows (sea lions and free-flying birds), 4 greenhouses (birds, reptiles, manatees, Australasians), 3 savannah plains dedicated to the world’s herbivores are all on offer in this unique venue for an unforgettable visit.
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Vulcania in Auvergne
In the heart of the Chaîne des Puys, this volcano-themed park opened its doors in 2002, 15 kilometres from Clermont-Ferrand.
Spread over 57 hectares dotted with paths to explore, the park offers over thirty events, 2 projection rooms and 5,000m2 of space for activities and shows.
Sensations, exhibitions, play areas, screenings, scientific events and shows are all on offer along the way for young and old alike.
With over 300,000 visitors a year, Vulcania is France’s 11th largest visitor centre.
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Europa Park
Yes, it’s not in France! But just thirty kilometres from the border, you can visit Europe’s biggest theme park.
Europa Park, located in Rust, Germany, covers 95 hectares and welcomes over 6 million visitors a year. It is the country’s largest theme park, with around 100 attractions spread over 20 themed zones.
Presentation and booking:
Map of leisure parks
Map of France and Europe’s leisure parks, amusement parks, water parks and animal parks, by theme and location:
To visit in France
Throughout the regions of France, monuments, museums, exhibitions, historical sites and cultural venues :
Map of museums in France
And to complete your research, here’s a map of museums and contemporary art centres in the regions of France:
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