Puy du Fou – Journey through the centuries at the best park in the world

We arrived first at the huge La Cité Nocturne, the resort’s hotel quarter, which is home to six themed hotels that each bring a different period of history to life through their décor and build.

We stayed in La Villa Gallo-Romaine, the Roman themed hotel styled after an ancient villa complete with columns and extensive gardens. Our room was complete with old world décor, a four poster and curtained bed – but also, thankfully a TV and beautiful bathroom. The style of Ancient Rome but with modern luxuries…yes please!

After a lovely member of the toga wearing team had talked us through our passes and helped to navigate us, we made our way into the park itself.

Whilst we had tickets for two days there, we had planned to take the first day steadily, getting a feel for the park and not dashing from show to show. We did however want to hit one of the ‘big’ shows to get us going.

What actually happened was spending nearly nine hours in the park, treating our senses to a journey through hundreds of years of history, before dazzling them with the most unbelievable night show including live musicians, a light show, elaborate water displays and fireworks, all on the top of one of the park’s lakes. Yes, you heard that right.

We’d had some advice before arriving that some of the immersive experiences could be a little overpowering for younger children. Taking that into account, whilst Chris and our seven year old, Tom, had a wander around a Viking hamlet, I ‘boarded’ one of La Pérouse’s ships, and set sail on the French explorer’s fated last journey.

You walk through the ship’s experience of succumbing to a storm on foot – think sailors, panic in the air, a creaking, violently shaking ship as it gets battered by the elements – and even a water feature.

18 minutes later I walked out with my mouth hanging open – and with that, our Puy du Fou journey had begun.

‘Les Vikings’ is one of Puy du Fou’s flagship shows and where we headed next, which takes place in a huge outdoor theatre. You and hundreds of other guests are invited to a 1st century wedding, where a cast of incredible actors, dancers, stunts people and animal handlers treat you to a dramatic performance featuring the worst wedding crashers of all…the Vikings.

We sat in our seats in the late afternoon sun watching the disruption of the wedding with the launch of a Viking war ship into the theatre, flames rising from the watchtower as the people scattered to defend their land and each other.

Cows, wild pigs and birds of prey played their part in the performance, adding yet another dimension to an incredible interpretation of this time in history.

If like us, you’re wondering where on earth you would go from there – well for us, it was ‘Le Secret de la Lance’, the story of a young woman and the horsemen who help her defend her Chateau. Expect stunts that wouldn’t be out of place in a Hollywood blockbuster, and you’ll still be blown away by the choreography of the piece.

It was time for a quick break back at the hotel before dinner. All of the hotels are set in beautiful, themed grounds and have a bar and restaurant so you’ve plenty of places to refresh and recover between park-time.

We dined at Le Café de la Madelon, one of the park’s two show restaurants which both offer a unique dining experience.

We loved it, it was completely different to anything we’ve done before, and we felt as if we were taking the theatre of the day right through our meal. The cabaret seating meant that we were alongside two French families, which was perfect as they helped us understand elements of the performance, and, gave us some tips for the rest of our time in France.

We’d debated whether the 10pm night show would be too late for our son, but decided to throw caution to the wind and all finish our first day with Les Noces de Feu, one of two evening shows held at the park.

The second show, La Cinéscénie, only takes place on certain dates during the year and I am told gets booked up months in advance – it’s a bookable extra at the park and sadly the stars didn’t align for our visit. It’s a strong reason to return!

The site of the park has grown and evolved around the former Château du Puy du Fou, and Les Noces de Feu is set on the old lake of the estate. The evening show was a stunning performance of classical music performed on the lake, but that is too simple a description for an evocative, mesmerising 30 minutes of theatre whilst night-time falls on the park.

You’ll be transfixed. Tom forgot how tired he was, entranced by the musicians, the light show and the spectacle.

A perfect end to a whirlwind of a day.

Anyone who has visited Puy du Fou will tell you there is a lot to see and do, and it is technically impossible to see it all in one day, possibly even in two. We had set a loose plan of what we wanted to cover over our two days, helped hugely by downloading the app before our stay and also thanks to the daily printed map and show-times that you can pick up at the hotel reception from 6pm the evening before.

The app in particular allows you to plan your whole stay, giving you walking times between areas, suggesting gaps between shows for respite in the many natural areas and spaces for relaxation across the park, and tailoring your day based on what you’re looking for from your experience.

Le Bal des Oiseaux Fantômes was first up on our agenda for day two. This show is all about the birds…200 to be exact, including rare birds of prey swooping and sweeping around a giant outdoor theatre set in the walls of the old château.

I cried, I ducked, I gasped…if you’ve ever wanted a bald eagle to fly centimetres over your head (and who hasn’t?), well, this is the place to do it. The magnificence of the birds and the ability of the performers to handle and manoeuvre them was unbelievable…but it definitely happened!

We spent our day hopping through the centuries; next was the swagger and bluster of the Romans in a huge amphitheatre that was used for much of the filming of Gladiator as they conducted a high speed chariot race. Sitting in the stands as the Romans pumped up the crowd and jeered their opponents was amazing…you start to feel like you’re back in the century when chariots were the way to travel.

One of my favourite shows was Mousquetaire de Richalieu, a beautiful story of 17th century love and exile, brought to life through flamenco, swashbuckling sword duels, water features and horses in a stunning indoor theatre.

Whilst Tom and I took some respite from the sun with an ice cream, Chris found himself under attack in the trenches of WWI, another of the park’s immersive experiences. Created to make the visitor feel the panic and claustrophobia of incessant shell attack, we opted out for Tom, but it’s on my list for next time.

We ended our day at the round table, for L’Épée du Roi Arthur, the new show for 2025 and a fitting place to finish our time at the park.

Once the battle for Excalibur had been won, and the sun started to drop, we headed out – exhausted, stunned, and already planning to return.

The title of ‘best park in the world’ is real, it is more than justified, and I’ll be telling anyone who’ll listen.

• Get the app a few days before. Not only will it help you plan your days, but it gives you tons of detail about the shows, including the historical context too.

• Plan your time using the app and try to see as much as you can, but leave room for spontaneity. Most of the shows are on several times during the day, so if you miss one, you can usually rejig your day if it’s a must-see on your list. The heat (depending on when you visit) and the sensory richness of the performances meant for us, we had to have a few breaks. For us, this meant taking in more of the nature and village experiences round the park, and also seeing a show we hadn’t planned which we really enjoyed. Allow yourself room to breathe.

• With that in mind – don’t try and do it in a day. I would highly advise staying over and getting a two day ticket. There is so much to see and experience, you won’t regret it.

• Splash out on the emotion passes. The equivalent of a queue jumper, these made our trip so much smoother. Less time in lines, priority seating in the theatres and earlier access, and therefore more time having fun. A no brainer, and not prohibitively expensive.

• If you’re looking to save some cash, you can bring your own food into the park. We took a picnic on the first day, and ate at some of the many outlets on the second day. The food was really good and if you’re staying over, then yes, there’s a bar. A Puy du Fou beer was just the ticket on a hot day.

• The shows are all, obviously, in French. For us, this didn’t take anything away from the performances – it was the feelings, sensations, visuals and the sounds, rather than the words of the actors. But, if you’re looking to fully immerse yourself in the shows, you can hear a translation through the app – so remember to bring your headphones. Don’t be like the guy in front of us doing listening at full volume without them please!

• Prepare for the heat if you’re going in the summer – there is plenty of shade in the park but depending on your seats, not in the shows. Don’t panic though, at the start of every show there are vendors at the front selling water and ice creams/ lollies to cool down. They also sell decorative swords and helmets for the kids. You are unlikely to leave the park without one.

• Dress for comfort. I’d recommend trainers, because to get the most out of the park you’re going to cover a lot of ground.

• Think if the immersive experiences will be ok for your child (or yourself), because due to the layout of the set, once you’ve entered, it is difficult to get out until it finishes.

• And please, please, even if you’re tired, stay for the night show. It is Out. Of. This. World.

by Amy Blackburn