Back to Puy du Fou – Still the best theme park in the world?

Back in 2015, Simon, Alex and myself (Johnny) from the CAP.CO team went on a Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) visit to Puy du Fou, in western France. The trip promised a behind-the-scenes tour and a much-coveted ticket for the nighttime show - The Cinescenie with a nightly cast of thousands.

So, when the TEA announced another trip for 2026, there was quite a queue to visit. Paul and Johnny got the golden tickets and headed towards Nantes to meet up with the rest of the TEA contingent.

As before, the morning started strongly with a presentation from Olivier Strebelle, the DG/CEO of the Puy du Fou Group who talked us through their plans for growth in France, Spain and the UK. Incredibly honest and insightful.

After lunch, the first experience of the day was in Le Mystère de La Pérouse. It’s a walk-through and new since we last visited. You’re transported back in time to 1785 aboard the scientific expedition commissioned by King Louis XVI. It’s an incredibly immersive experience as the ship rolls in heavy seas and you can’t tell if the floors or walls are moving (or perhaps both). There are explosions, water everywhere and live actors, blurring the lines between performance and animatronics.

In summary, puts the immersion in an immersive experience.

Next, it was off to the huge Roman stadium for Le Signe du Triomphe, which may be the biggest of the shows. You take your seat among thousands of other spectators as the Roman governor presides over the games, and a group of Gaulish prisoners must win their freedom in the arena. There are chariot races thundering round the track, gladiators, and enough twists to keep the whole crowd cheering for the underdogs. There are no lions any more, but it was every bit as spectacular and surprising as we remembered.

In summary, still the benchmark for large-scale arena shows.

Carrying on in this style, but in a totally different setting, we then went to see Le Dernier Panache, which follows the life of François-Athanase Charette, a French naval officer who fought in the American War of Independence before becoming a hero of the Vendée uprising. The audience sits on a vast rotating grandstand that turns to face each scene, so the story unfolds all around you. We were lucky enough to get a full behind-the-scenes tour of the seven sets, including beaches, water and all the controls that run the show. Seeing how the scenery, effects and seating are all choreographed together gave us a real appreciation of the tightness of the engineering and show controls behind it.

In summary, theatre and technology working in perfect harmony.

Then into Le Mousquetaire de Richelieu, a swashbuckling tale set in 17th-century France as the musketeers take on the Cardinal’s guards. It’s been updated since the previous visit, but follows a similar theme. It's a riot of sword fights, flamenco dancing, horses performing on stage and literal tons of water, with fountains and cascades appearing as if from nowhere. The pace never lets up, and the stage seems to transform every few minutes.

In summary, pure entertainment from start to finish.

Then the nighttime show, Les Noces de Feu, which was incredible. Set on a lake, it tells the romantic story of two musicians whose love is celebrated in a magical wedding. A pianist appears from under the lake, dancers walk on water, acrobats appear from nowhere, giant fountains rise and fall in time with the music, and fire and light fill the night sky, while a huge organ emerges, blasting the music across the watery stage. It’s comparatively gentle and poetic compared to the daytime shows, but every bit as ambitious and spectacular.

In summary, the perfect way to end the day.

Day two saw us visiting Le Mime et l’Étoile, a huge production that takes you back to the early days of cinema, as silent films give way to the talkies. It’s packed with moving sets, aeroplanes and racing, and the scale of the scene changes is hard to believe until you see it. Once again, the line between stage show and film set is beautifully blurred.

In summary, again, incredible.

And then onto Les Vikings, which was probably the least changed of all the shows. A peaceful village is attacked by Viking raiders, with a longship rising from the water, burning buildings and absolutely loads of stunt work. It may be one of the older shows, but it's still an easy one to keep as your favourite.

In summary, a classic for good reason.

All of this was followed by a themed lunch that was every bit as good as any food I have eaten anywhere. Only Puy du Fou could serve food this good inside a theme park.

We only saw about half the shows, and there was something in every single one that caught us by surprise. For all the scale of the productions, it was often the little details that made you wonder how on earth they’d pulled it off. That’s the bit we came away most inspired by.

So, what has changed?

This was really interesting to see. Everything has changed, with some changing a little, some a bit more. But there has been a huge investment in new shows, new buildings for the shows and to add new depth to the existing shows. It just feels like the exact model for long-term sustainable growth. No chopping and changing via different private equity firms, but constant reinvestment in the park, the region and the experience for guests. I LOVE this model.

Will it work in the UK?

I have to confess to being slightly worried about Puy du Fou coming to the UK. Would the UK audience embrace their history and culture as fully as the French have? Would it work with the UK weather? Will it deliver the huge numbers (3m p/a) that the French park has, or the 1.8m that visit in Spain?

I thought maybe not, before this visit.

Now, my opinion has changed.

Firstly, according to Olivier Strebelle, that region of France gets even more rain than their proposed location in Bicester, Oxfordshire. That was a surprise.

There's no doubt in my mind that the outdoor shows are spectacular and, for me, are still the biggest draw. I can't imagine ever getting tired of them. The food, the drink and the retail are all superb. As good or perhaps the best of any park I've ever been to.

But the big surprise for me was the indoor shows and the walk-throughs. They were unbelievable and, on a scale that has to be seen to be believed.

So, yes, they have really thought about weatherproofing the experience. The indoor shows were better than I remember and, much better than I expected.

Should you go to the French or the Spanish one or wait for the UK version?

The Puy du Fou team explained they will reuse the technology in the different parks to save time and money in delivering the new park. For example, Le Dernier Panache built around the gigantic rotating seating and six or seven stages, will be the same setting, maybe even utilising the same show controls, but the story will be created especially for the British audience. That will be completely unique.

So, you can visit all three. They will feel familiar but the stories will all change to reflect the local history and stories of the people and places around the local region. I for one, can't wait for it to arrive here.

And yet again, it's another powerful reason for being a member of the Themed Entertainment Association. These behind-the-scenes tours are such a huge privilege and always great fun too.