Amusement Parks in France
From LoveToKnow Travel
With more than 1800 roller coasters worldwide, serious thrill seekers routinely travel to visit amusement parks and experience different extreme rides. According to the Roller Coaster Database, the foremost authority for the roller coaster census, there are more than 560 roller coasters in Europe, approximately 60 of which are in France.
Types of Roller Coasters in France
Like most roller coasters statistics, the official count can be misleading. The majority of coasters are smaller rides suitable for younger riders and uninteresting to advanced thrill seekers. Typically, amusement parks and fun centers listing only a single coaster are likely promoting one of these family- or kiddie-style rides. While this may be a fine attraction for novice riders, it can be a great disappointment to adrenaline junkies. Breaking down the amusement parks and types of roller coasters in France, thrill seekers will find:
- 28 different amusement parks with at least one operating roller coaster
- 11 of those parks have only a single roller coaster
- 5 French amusement parks have 4 or more roller coasters
- 2 wooden roller coasters
- Few unusual coasters, such as enclosed or bobsled designs
Regardless of the type of roller coaster, dedicated fans still seek out each ride to experience its particular merits and excitement. In order to do that, it is important to know where to go.
Where to Find Roller Coasters in France
With the cost of amusement park admission rising every year, roller coaster enthusiasts must be savvy with their spending and know where different coasters are located in order to have the most cost-effective and thrilling experience possible when riding roller coasters in France. Not every province hosts roller coasters, and the highest concentration of thrill rides is in the north, particularly in the Ile-de-France and Picardie provinces (surrounding and just north of Paris). Ile-de-France is home to both French Disneyland park as well as three smaller amusement parks, and Picardie is the location of both Parc Asterix and Parc Saint Paul, two of France’s largest amusement parks.
In general, the northeastern portion of the country has the greatest number of roller coasters, though the southeastern province of Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur has a total of five, owing to the presence of three small parks in the region. That may be misleading, however, since one of those parks only has a single coaster, and both other parks have at least one kiddie coaster suitable only for junior riders.
Roller coaster enthusiasts should always be prepared when visiting foreign amusement parks, and knowing something about the largest parks helps visitors plan their trip to the best effect and the largest adrenaline rush.
Nigoland
Nigoland first opened in 1987 in the Champagne-Ardenne province east of Paris. Today, the park hosts five steel roller coasters, including the enclosed Spatiale Expérience coaster that opened in 2000. The newest roller coaster is the Bat Coaster that opened in March 2002, an inverted coaster that gives riders the thrill of riding with their legs dangling in open air.
Disneyland Resort Paris
Once called Euro Disney, Disneyland Resort Paris opened in 1992 with only one roller coaster, Big Thunder Mountain. Approximately 25 miles east of Paris, the resort now encompasses two separate parks, the original resort and a studios-oriented park that has an additional coaster with another under construction for 2007. Themed regions are reminiscent of the United States Disney parks, and true to Disney form both parks are extensively detailed for an immersive experience. Today there are six roller coasters between the parks with the promise of more to come as both parks continue to expand.
Bagatelle
Located in the country’s northernmost province, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Bagatelle is one of France’s oldest amusement parks with a history spanning more than fifty years. Four steel coasters grace the grounds, including the most recent addition, Ragondins.
Parc Astérix
Parc Asterix first opened in 1989 with a quaint theme based around popular French comic books. Today, the park has six roller coasters, the highest number of any amusement park in France. The park also boasts the nation’s largest coaster variety, with a wooden coaster (Tonnerre de Zeus), steel bobsled coaster (Vol D'Icare), and the famed Goudurix, a custom-designed seven-inversion delight that reaches speeds greater than 55 miles per hour while plunging riders through loops, boomerangs, and twists.
Parc Saint Paul
Parc Saint Paul is also located in the northern province of Picardie, and with five operating roller coasters in addition to the six at Parc Asterix and two at the small Mer de Sable park, gives the province the highest concentration of coasters in France. While two of the park’s coasters are small family / kiddie rides, its most unusual roller coaster is Telepherique, an outstanding suspended, spinning, stand up coaster that defies convention and is one of the most unique designs in the world. Having added three new coasters in the past three years, Parc Saint Paul promises to continue growing and attracting more thrill seekers each year.
Riding Roller Coasters in France
No matter what country they are in, riding roller coasters is essentially the same: obey posted instructions and operator directions, take advantage of traditional meal times and popular shows to enjoy shorter waits, and safeguard possessions by using a locker, securing them firmly, or leaving them with a non-rider. For international travelers, however, it is wise to understand some basic French phrases that apply to roller coasters:
- arrettez: stop
- sortie: exit
- entrée: entrance
- ettendre: wait
- queue: line
- grande huit or montagne russe: roller coaster
- parc d’attractions: amusement park
From the sparkle of Paris to the heights of the Alps to the alluring shores of the Mediterranean Sea, thrill seekers will travel wherever the roller coasters reside to experience the rush of lifts, drops, and loops. Roller coasters in France may not be the tallest or fastest in the world, but they offer an exciting range of styles and configurations sure to speed of the heart rate of any roller coaster enthusiast.
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