The French company Puy du Fou, renowned for its show based theme parks in France and Spain, is planning to open a new park in England. After considering locations in the Dutch province of Drenthe and the Belgian state of Wallonia, the company has now set its sights on the United Kingdom. The original Puy du Fou show debuted in France in 1978, with the Spanish location opening in 2021.
Puy du Fou is looking to establish a new branch in Cherwell, near the town of Bicester in Oxfordshire. This ambitious project is expected to involve an investment of £300 million (€355 million), with the aim of doubling this investment within ten years of the park’s opening.
https://anchor.fm/s/7618f58/podcast/rssA dedicated website, puydufouconsultation.co.uk, has been launched to outline the global plans. Puy du Fou promises “spectacular historical shows and immersive experiences based upon the history and culture of a country and its people,” modeled after its existing parks in France and Spain. The goal is to bring the rich history of the UK to life. Park goers will be able to stroll through a wooded park with beautifully landscaped gardens, immersing themselves in British history through carefully constructed historic sites.
A masterplan shows the proposed locations for shows, hotels, and parking. Meetings will be held this month to update local residents about the project. Puy du Fou assures neighbors that the park will be designed to minimize noise, traffic, and any impact on local forest areas.
Puy du Fou emphasises that they are not a typical theme park. “Our parks are not fake stage sets built with plastic; there are no neon flashing lights and rollercoasters. Everything we do must be real, built using the crafts and materials of the time period they represent, within wooded areas and beautiful gardens, which become the setting for world-class shows and immersive cultural and historical experiences – bringing history to life.” In France, the shows are centered around themes such as the Roman Empire, the Musketeers, the Vikings, Joan of Arc, the heroic soldiers of the First World War, and the pioneers of cinema.
Bicester is less than an hour’s drive from London Heathrow Airport. The project is expected to create 700 direct jobs and an additional 2,000 jobs in the area, thanks to the influx of hundreds of thousands of tourists.
Puy du Fou has previously ventured into the UK market with the 2016 spectacle show Kynren at Auckland Castle in County Durham. Unlike Kynren, which is a single evening performance, the new park will offer a comprehensive and continuous experience. Kynren will run on Saturdays from late July to mid-September this year.
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