Puy du Fou: A Guide to the “#1 Theme Park in the World” in the Greater Nantes Area

Before leaving for my program in Nantes in January, I searched for some of the main attractions in the north-west of France. Nantes is relatively far from many of the other main tourist sites in France, such as Paris and the Riviera, and I was curious about what the West had to offer. One of the attractions that appeared multiple times in my search was a historical theme park named Puy du Fou. 

Apparently, since the Thea Classic Award in 2012 in Los Angeles, Puy du Fou has been consistently ranked the best theme park in the world by multiple different travel guides. I was surprised to discover this, as I had never heard of it before my search. When I arrived in Nantes, I saw several signs, brochures, and commercials advertising the park, and all of the locals I asked knew it well, and several had gone multiple times. 

The park is not a typical theme park in that it has no rides; its main attractions are history-themed spectacles, immersive experiences, and period-inspired villages. It is possible to go for the day or stay in one of the themed hotels on-site. 

I made it one of my goals for the semester to visit the park, and I chose the Saturday before exams for a day trip, because the park is only open from April to November, each year, with a brief Christmas season in December. I shared this plan in the IES Abroad Nantes group chat, and six other students expressed interest in going. It cost us 47 euros each for the day, and I had heard that it is a good idea to purchase tickets in advance online to ensure a place. 

The main difficulty with Puy du Fou is that it is difficult to get there from Nantes without a car, as IES Abroad students are not allowed to operate motor vehicles while abroad due to a lack of insurance coverage. The park is located in the center of the department of the Vendée, which is just south of that of Nantes. Despite this, there is no direct train or bus. There is an official shuttle to Puy du Fou from Angers, which is about a 45-minute train ride west from Nantes, and is complicated to coordinate for a day trip. I decided that we would take a train from Nantes to the town of Cholet, which is then a 30-minute Uber ride from the park. This plan worked, and we were able to arrive at and from the park in time to catch our 7:00 p.m. train at the end of the day, though I was surprised to find that it was hard to find an Uber and they were very expensive (+ 100 euros each way). At least when traveling in a large group, we were able to split the cost, and it was not as bad as if I had been traveling alone. I would recommend assembling a group earlier and reaching out to the different host families, if perhaps any of them would be interested in driving a group. 

A regular ticket grants full access to all spectacles at Puy du Fou. There does exist a “passe d’émotion” (fast-pass equivalent) which grants priority access to the spectacles, though I found that this was not necessary for my group, as we were able to see the majority of events offered without issue. All of the spectacles and experiences are first-come, first-served, and there are no reservations. Because of this, it is advised to arrive early at the park around 9 a.m., when the park opens, and head to each spectacle at least 15 minutes before it starts to ensure seating. 

Spectacle times are different each day, and the schedule is not released until about two days in advance for each. Each spectacle is held multiple times a day, though there are typically multiple that are held around the same time at different parts of the park in an effort to limit crowding. It is highly recommended to make a plan ahead of time of what to see and when, to make the most out of the day. I also suggest packing a lunch, as there are many places outside to sit and eat, and it is possible to save a lot of time. There are, however, several restaurants and stands around the park, many of which offer options to carry. 

I found the park easy to navigate, as there are several signs posted all around with arrows to the different shows. I also downloaded the official Puy du Fou app before arriving, which made it much easier to plan around showtimes and find our way around the park. 

There are three types of shows at Puy du Fou: the main spectacles, the immersive spectacles, and the quick pop-up spectacles. The main spectacles are the big shows that define the park, and are mostly about 30 minutes long each. These are the events around which you should plan the rest of your visit. The immersive spectacles are enclosed thematic experiences you can walk through at your own pace. They are typically open for multiple-hour increments and take about 20-25 minutes each. The pop-up shows are smaller events that take place around the different villages of the park. These are about 10 minutes long, and ought not be included in a schedule for the day; the ones I saw (Les Automates Musiciens and Le Grand Carillon) I found to be more like background things to watch while sitting and eating. 

In our eight hours at the park, my group managed to see six main spectacles, three immersive spectacles, and two pop-up shows. This left us satisfied with all we were able to see, while leaving several things to do the next time. 

We had planned our full day ahead of time, though we had a pivot a bit while there. One of the more popular spectacles, The Musquataires de Richelieu, was already full 15 minutes before it started, so we had to modify our plan a bit to see it at a later showing that day. 

One thing to take into consideration is the size of the park. Puy du Fou is not overly large (not like a Disney park) and is very walkable, though some of the spectacles are on opposite sides of the grounds, and they purposely schedule the most popular ones at similar times to prevent overcrowding. Determined to stick to our plan and see as much as we possibly could, we had to run a bit between shows to ensure we made it on time, which we did without issue. 

The most popular spectacle (and my personal favorite) is Le Signe du Triomphe. The show takes place in a massive open-air arena modeled after Roman-occupied Gaul, and is complete with parades of different animals, gladiator fights, and a chariot race. 

We arrived at the arena fifteen minutes ahead of time, though it was already almost at capacity, as we were some of the last to be let inside. We did not see any more space on the benches inside, though we were allowed to sit together on some of the stairs, which was just fine. This spectacle is typically only held twice a day, and I would recommend getting there at least 30 minutes in advance. In hindsight, it would have probably been a good idea to have our packed lunch inside the arena before the show, though it fortunately all worked out anyway. 

After we had seen the main spectacles on our list, we went through some of the immersive spectacles. Of these, I would highly recommend Les Amoureux de Verdun, which is set inside a French trench during the First World War, and is complete with bombardments, actors, and a mustard gas attack (not real, fortunately). We also greatly enjoyed Le Mystère de La Pérouse, which tracks the real story of an 18th-century sail vessel that meets an unfortunate fate. The experience takes place through a simulated sail ship, with choppy waters, sea spray, and a cannon barrage. 

In all, Puy du Fou is a spectacular theme park that offers something for everyone (not just those who like history). It was certainly one of the absolute highlights of my semester in Nantes, and I was fortunate to have been able to go there with a group of friends. When I eventually return to the Nantes region, without doubt I will make revisiting a park a top priority.