FUTUROSCOPE IS GEARING UP TO REOPEN

BY GABRIELLE


Futuroscope, the French theme park centred on multimedia and audio-visual techniques, is preparing to reopen once the government gives the industry the go ahead.

The park was forced to close earlier in the year due to the coronavirus pandemic.  In preparation for the reopening, some members of staff have gone back to work. According to Laure Mosseron, marketing and communication director at Futuroscope, around 50 employees of the 700 who work at the park have returned to work.

The employees working again are mostly security guards but also include technicians who have been testing the rides in rotation.

On reopening, the theme park will maintain social distancing measures throughout the site, including on the rides. Cleaning procedures will also be increased and hand sanitiser stations will be available at different points across the park.

Mosseron says that the park’s priority “remains the health of our employees and visitors.” “Everyone is waiting impatiently for the government’s directives and the conditions on how we will be able to reopen, knowing that we would like to restart for the summer season,” said Mosseron.

PUY DU FOU GEARED UP FOR GROWTH IN 2020

BY GABRIELLE

Puy du Fou, the historical theme park in the Vendee region of Western France, is gearing up for significant growth in 2020.

Hailed as a “record investment”, next year will see the theme park substantially developed, with a new night-time show, a sixth hotel and a conference centre.

Next year will see the theme park operators invest 52 million euros in France and “push the boundaries,” by putting on even more spectacular experiences for visitors through a number of large-scale innovations.

The new evening show is known as ‘Les Noces de Feu’ – ‘The Wedding of Fire.’  Romanticism and poetry take centre stage, as the show focuses on the love-struck protagonists (the Muse and the Pianist) on their wedding day.

This original new show is the sequel to ‘Les Orgues de Feu’ and takes visitors on a lyrical night-time journey, against a musical backdrop. The music in the show is performed by the Berthollet sisters, whose performance is brought to life by fire and water staging.

Also new to next year at Pou du Fou is Le Grand Siècle hotel. This 4-star hotel offers 96 family rooms, ‘La Table des Ambassadeurs’ restaurant and three hectares of French formal gardens.

Next to ‘Le Grand Siècle’ will be ‘Le Théâtre Molière,’ a huge new 3,500 sq. mt. convention centre, featuring a 500-seat central auditorium, 11 fully modular meeting rooms and a large multi-purpose space designed to host any type of meeting.

The investment follows a highly successful 2019 season for Puy du Fou. Asides being France’s second most visited park and ninth most visited tourist site, Puy du Fou is making its mark overseas, with its ‘El Sueno de Toledo’ show being one of the biggest shows in Spain.

Puy du Fou has also recently signed its first contract in China, with the first Puy du Fou show opening at the foot of the Great Wall in 2022.