HERITAGE THEME PARK
Visitors enjoy an insight into medieval village life
Local stonemasons showcase their craft and sell authentic gifts in their workshops
Visitor numbers and revenue grow year-on-year thanks to the visionary outlook of continually updating the guest offering
BRANCHING OUT Although Cinéscénie still stands proud against the magnificent backdrop of the castle, the performance has since matured to include 2,400 volunteer actors, 130 horse riders, 80 technicians, 28,000 costumes, 150 water jets, 480 LEDs, 20 free-flying drones and 3D mapping using 3,000 projectors. It’s watched by 13,200 people per show, attracting an annual 367,000 spectators. Every year, the entire show is reimagined with new sets, scenes and technology. The Grand Parc is now grander than ever, offering 19 shows, four period villages complete with local artisan workshops, five themed hotels and 21 restaurants as well as children’s areas spread over a bona fide forest landscape. Of the 2,220,000 guests in 2016, 1,854,000 visited the Grand Parc while 367,000 watched what is now hailed the “world’s biggest nighttime show”.
Continual reinvestment, from an initial modest €5.1m (£4.7m, US$6m) back in 2003 to a whopping €27m (£24.9m, US$31.8m) in 2016 has rewarded Puy du Fou with a 2016 turnover of €100.8m (£92.8m, US$118.8m); around 85 per cent from the Grand Parc, with the remainder almost equally divided between Cinéscénie and the company’s overseas venture, Puy du Fou International. Visitor numbers and revenue grow year-on-year thanks to the company’s visionary outlook of continually updating its guest offering. In celebration of its 40th anniversary in 2017, the opening of Cinéscénie was completely rewritten and featured a new fleet of 20 drones to bring
176 ATTRACTIONS HANDBOOK 2017-2018
the set to new heights, while two new musical performances, Grand Carillon and Le Ballet des Sapeurs, opened. All this was topped off by a new medieval fortress-themed hotel called La Citadelle and two new restaurants: L’Écuyer Tranchant and La Mijoterie du Roy Henry.
FAMILY TREE Founded in 2010 to expand its model of artistic excellence overseas, Puy du Fou International made its first forays abroad with the Raveleijn Show at Efteling theme park in the Netherlands in 2013. This was followed in July 2016 by an evening show called Kynren at Castle Bishop Auckland, County Durham, in www.attractionshandbook.com