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Les Epesses: Puy du Fou Theme Park 1-Day Entry Ticket
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Winner of numerous international awards, including best amusement park in the world in 2012, Puy du Fou invites you to delve into the history of France, and the Vendée in particular.
This family-friendly resort is the pride of the Vendée. The secret of its incredible success is its reinterpretation of the theme park concept, which is not based on rides and adrenaline-pumping attractions but on spectacular staging, all in a convivial, family-friendly atmosphere.
In fact, the Puy du Fou park stands out for its immersive value, a unique experience that attracts crowds of visitors every year. Unlike traditional parks, Puy du Fou focuses on life-size historical reconstructions, allowing you to take a real journey through time, diving into fascinating eras from Antiquity to the 20th century.
The park’s main attraction is its night show, the Cinéscénie: more than 2,500 actors, spectacular special effects and breathtaking sets. This show traces the history of the Vendée through the centuries.
The park opens its doors from April to November. Spring is a perfect time to visit the park: temperatures will be much milder than in summer and there will be fewer people. In summer, unfortunately, you will have to contend with heat and crowds, and therefore long queues.
We recommend that you arrive early, as soon as the park opens. Early in the morning, in fact, there are few people and this will allow you to experience as many attractions as possible in peace, before other visitors arrive.
Throughout the day, Puy du Fou offers various shows, presenting significant historical events: from Vikings to musketeers and circus games, to name but a few. The programme is vast and seeing everything in one day is arduous, not impossible, but certainly exhausting. We recommend a couple of days, so as not to rush things.
The park, which is suitable for the whole family, stands out for its attention to detail; the set design is as elaborate as the costumes, which adhere scrupulously to historical accuracy.
You can choose between simple entry for a single day or entry for 2 or 3 days. Clearly the cost varies as the days increase.
Access to the Cinéscénie, the great evening show at the Puy du Fou, is not included in the day ticket. Please note that it is also possible to buy just the entrance to the Cinéscénie, i.e. without seeing the shows during the day.
If you only have one day to dedicate to the Puy du Fou, don’t hesitate to buy the Emotion Pass, a kind of skip-the-line ticket that allows you to access the shows without queuing, thus saving precious time.
The Emotion Pass guarantees access to each show, benefiting from the best seats, which are thus reserved. In this way, you can arrive even a few minutes before the start of the shows, dedicating more time to visiting the park.
The main interest, apart from the Cinéscénie, is obviously the 6 daytime shows. We advise you to check the timetables before entering the park so that you can organise your day as well as possible. Between shows, you can visit the rest of the Puy du Fou:
Please note that the night show, the Cinéscénie, does not take place every day, sometimes replaced by Les Noces de Feu. The best thing is to download the park’s app, which will allow you to find out the show times, but also to book meals and access.
Before plunging headlong into your visit, it is advisable to get a map of the park beforehand. This way, you will have a clear idea of the attractions to visit. Once there, you will be able to quickly locate every part of the park and arrive at the shows on time.
It is advisable to go to each arena 20 to 30 minutes before the start of the show: always remember that the locations are sometimes far apart.
Most of the shows offered at the Puy du Fou take place outdoors. For clothing, it is therefore strongly recommended to bring light clothes, a cap and sun cream if you visit the park in spring or summer. Also pack a k-way, for summer downpours.
Don’t overlook the theme villages and side shows, such as the Knights of the Round Table, which are just as interesting and worthwhile as the main shows.
To get an idea of the park’s range of attractions, here is a list of the main shows, which are performed throughout the day.
Immerse yourself completely in a gigantic ‘Gallo-Roman Stadium’ to take part in the famous circus games. After the gladiator fights and the legendary chariot race, the Roman governor condemns the prisoners to a new ordeal and causes the arena itself to metamorphose.
In a breathtaking finale, the Stadium becomes the scene of a spectacular naumachia, a naval combat between the gigantic imperial galley (40 metres long and 15 metres high) that appears by surprise and the Gallic rafts destined to sink.
One for all all for one. A skilful mix of sword fights, poetic invectives, flamenco choreography and equestrian skills, this show offers an intense staging enhanced by incredible special effects.
Plays of water and light, gigantic moving sets, period costumes, everything is designed to make you experience a grand illusion: the Grand Carrousel, a large theatre equipped with the largest curtain in the world, is a combination of the charm of 17th century theatres and the gigantism of the Puy du Fou.
In the middle of the Hundred Years’ War, Joan of Arc meets the knight Fulgent to gather her best warriors before going to fight the English. After the knights leave for Orléans, Marguerite, a young shepherdess, finds herself alone at the castle. She must discover the secret of a lance with fantastic powers to protect the castle’s enchanted ramparts in the midst of battle. Follow the destiny of this brave and fearless heroine.
This moving performance plunges us into the heart of the French Revolution as we meet a naval officer and his compelling story.
François-Athanase Charette de la Contrie, known as ‘Charette’, hero of the American War of Independence, saw his life turned upside down in 1793 in a final struggle for freedom. Transported on an epic journey between real and virtual 360° settings, you will discover the extraordinary destiny of a hero of the Vendée and France: follow the great moments that forged Charette’s destiny during an epic and exciting spectacle served up by a unique staging.
While the whole village celebrates the wedding of Sibele and Alderico, fearsome longships appear amidst the gigantic flames: the fierce Vikings invade ‘St Philbert the Elder’ and its thatched huts.
At the foot of the imposing feudal mound, the fight rages on in a deluge of acrobatics and special effects: only a miracle can save the villagers from the fury of these formidable aggressors.
In the days of fortified castles, the memories of Princess Eleanor and her childhood friend Eloise come back to life and more than 330 sumptuous birds return to inhabit the ancient ruins abandoned for centuries.
Eagles, falcons, vultures, kites, owls and dozens of other birds of prey dance in the sky and dive into the arms of master falconers who orchestrate an enthralling ballet. All these birds fly a few centimetres from the audience and their feathers are sure to caress the top of your head.
Unlike the classical shows, in the immersive ones there are no specific starting times but only opening times during which you can directly access them. The show is actually the journey as you discover history by walking around, with actors who can even interact with you.
A beautiful tribute to Clovis, whose sumptuous decorations transport you to another time. An 18-minute journey through the history of King Clovis.
In the 5th century, at the height of the fall of the Roman Empire, just ravaged by Attila’s hordes, accompany Clovis, the famous Frankish king, on his conquests. Discover the doubts of this great strategist torn between the ancestral traditions of his people and the new path of Christianity, which he could choose to found the First Kingdom. You will experience his epic from the inside, amidst the scenes of war, the incredible encounters with figures from Norse mythology and the extraordinary journey into the bowels of the earth, in the heart of the bustling Valhalla.
Immerse yourself in the heart of the famous Battle of Verdun, living the moment to the full with Louis and his fiancée.
Venture into the centuries-old forest of the Puy du Fou and travel through the centuries to the heart of the First World War. Through the romantic correspondence of a soldier and his fiancée, you plunge into the heart of the winter of 1916, in a real trench, to meet heroic soldiers. On Christmas Eve, smoke invades the tunnels, the earth trembles with each new explosion, alarms sound. All seems lost, but on this 24th December, the soldiers do not yet know that they will experience a Christmas they will never forget.
Become an explorer for a day and set sail to experience a legendary scientific expedition commanded by King Louis XVI.
In 1785, you will embark on one of the explorer La Pérouse’s ships. Leave the port of Brest and set sail to challenge the unknown seas. Aboard the ship, you participate in the great discoveries from Cape Horn to Alaska to Vanikoro and face the most formidable storms. This is the odyssey of an expedition with no return: the mysterious voyage of La Pérouse.
If the first immersive shows can be experienced at any time during opening hours, this one takes a little longer because the beginning of the tour is not continuous.
Forgotten for centuries, the castle of Puy du Fou opens its doors to you: paintings speak, mirrors observe, ghosts still dance, lying figures awaken. Every room of the castle reveals its wonders still haunted by its glorious past. Set out to discover the splendours of Renaissance living.
At nightfall, extend your journey through time and let yourself be amazed by the enchantment of grandiose night shows that will leave you breathless.
Every evening, when the sun sets, sweet melodies resonate over the lake and gradually awaken memories of the most romantic of weddings.
After meeting in the show ‘Les Orgues de Feu’, the violinist Musa and the virtuoso pianist join forces to celebrate their eternal love in a fairyland of water and fire. Attend these fantastic weddings where dancers and giant sets emerge from the depths of the lake like mirages, and come back to life to offer the bride and groom the dream of an unforgettable celebration.
It is this show that is at the origin of the Puy du Fou. Needless to say how incredible it is: history and legends intertwine in a gigantic fresco. The actors are first-rate, the show is truly magnificent.
It only takes place on Friday and Saturday evenings. Since it needs absolute darkness, the times change from month to month, but it usually ends around midnight. Reservations are necessary because it is always full. It is a medieval night show, with fire-eaters, jugglers, knightly fights and fireworks.
At nightfall, a huge procession makes its way through the alleyways and villages: royal carriages, feathered horses, musicians and dancers accompany François I and his 300 guests from the six provinces of France. The court makes a spectacular entrance for the biggest feast ever organised at the Puy du Fou.
Attend this grand event where the most sumptuous wedding of the entire Renaissance is celebrated: the King of France is the prestigious host of the wedding of Catherine and François du Puy du Fou. A gigantic banquet is organised around the culinary theatres set up for the occasion.
Attend this sumptuous feast, along with Leonardo da Vinci, Pierre de Ronsard and Nicolas Copernicus, and dance to the rhythm of the musicians who come to life.
When organising a day at the Puy du Fou, we recommend you keep these shows as wild cards, only if you still have time to spare or when waiting between two great shows.
Immerse yourself in the fantastic world of Arthurian legend. At the foot of the ramparts of Font-Rognou, Merlin tests the courage of young Arthur.
After defeating Excalibur’s spell, the hero discovers the wonders of the enchanting lake and the Lady of the Lake, and witnesses the surprising return of the Knights of the Round Table. Rediscover the famous legend and let yourself be carried away by this chivalrous ballet.
At the centre of Chasseloup stands an immense 16-metre-high carillon. Several times a day, during each performance, this original and spectacular architecture rings its 70 bells. For ten minutes or so, you will witness a truly astonishing musical spectacle.
In addition to the grandiose music of the bells, two aerial acrobatics perform in the air around the imposing structure, to the rhythm of the famous 18th-century popular melodies re-orchestrated by the Puy du Fou.
The famous poet returns to his fantastic garden to tell his famous fables, surrounded by his famous bestiary.
Enriched with new fables, the ‘Imaginary World of La Fontaine’ is an incredible tree-lined garden, full of surprises and poetry. Amidst wild plants and elegant flowers, streams and winding trees, more than 40 animals have come together to bring to life a dozen eternal or forgotten fairy tales, served up by Puy du Fou’s spectacular special effects.
Take a seat around the old Puy du Fou pond and experience a poetic and refreshing moment. Transported back to the 17th century, in a grove of the Palace of Versailles, in the middle of a concert by the royal family’s music master, Lully, a famous composer and violinist, accompanies you with his melodies, thanks to immense jets of water that emerge rhythmically from the depths of the lake.
Several times a day, the Bourg Bérard, one of the villages, comes alive and the forest ranger shouts: ‘Alert the population! Warning to the population! “. This is the signal: amazing Automa Musicians emerge from the windows and sing merry melodies.
Overlooking the Bourg Bérard, on the metal bridge, the villagers are struggling to put out the fire of a vehicle whose engine has literally exploded. The driver, worried, calls for help, which arrives quickly. It is then that a frenetic and energetic dance begins between the fire brigade, the country guard, the gardener, the bistro maids and many other characters.
Le Puy du Fou offers five hotels within the Cité Nocturne. More than 400 rooms allow you to travel back in time, through entire centuries of history: there are many suggestions to choose from, from Ancient Rome to the splendours of the Renaissance.
You can also sleep at the Citadel, spend a night behind the ramparts or stay at the Grand Siècle, to experience the court of the Sun King. If you prefer a meriovingian hotel on stilts, book at the Clovis Islands. Finally, to stay with General Lescure in the 18th century, sleep at the Logis de Lescure.
If, on the other hand, you have chosen a hotel in town, you can benefit from a combined stay + hotel rate, as well as other advantages such as discounts on shops, free dedicated parking or private access to the park. This combination is also practical for fully enjoying the Cinéscénie, the great show that we recommend you book well in advance.
Puy du Fou, France’s famous amusement park for children and adults, is located in the municipality of Les Épesses, Vendée, between Nantes, Poitiers and La Rochelle.
After landing at Nantes airport and renting a car, you can reach the park in about 1 hour. However, if you arrive at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport or Paris Orly Airport, it will take more than 3 hours.
If you prefer to travel by train, the nearest station is Angers. The shuttle between the station and the park takes 1 hour 30 minutes, by reservation only.
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