Puy du Fou is an incredible theme park in France, immersing its visitors in history in the most sensational ways imaginable.

Globally recognised for its highly immersive environments and spectacular live performances, the park has achieved critical acclaim for its storytelling and use of technology.

The opening of their new hotel Le Grand Siècle and new show Les Noces de Feu provided us with a perfect opportunity to experience it for the first time. We were guests of Puy du Fou for 2 days and 2 nights.

Tripadvisor has declared Puy du Fou the number 1 amusement park in France and Europe, and number 2 in the world, in their Travellers' Choice 'Best of the Best' Awards 2020. It is the 11th most-visited theme park in Europe and the 4th most-visited in France; below the two parks at Disneyland Paris, and Parc Astérix.

Despite all of this, the historical-themed park has only fairly recently developed an international audience. Let's be clear, it isn't a theme park in the traditional sense, as you won't find any roller coasters or other rides here except a small carousel.

The 55 hectare Grand Parc includes 8 major shows, 4 walkthrough attractions, 18 restaurants, 4 recreated period villages, and various gardens and forests teeming with wildlife. The scale of this place and the attention to detail is mind-blowing.

La Cité Nocturne has 6 themed hotels with another 5 restaurants, including La Citadelle (Medieval fortress), La Villa Gallo-Romaine (Roman villa) and new for 2020, Le Grand Siècle (17th-century royal palace).

Le Grand Siècle

On arrival at Puy du Fou we were given a tour of this new €20 million project.

The four-star hotel has 96 family rooms, split between eight lodges. It's based on a château that French king Louis XIV used to entertain close friends. As you might expect, it's an extravaganza of marble and gold, with statues and tapestries adorning the hallways. It's a convincing recreation of such luxury - if you don't look too close! There are also more than 3 hectares of French-style gardens to explore.

At the heart of the hotel, the restaurant La Table des Ambassadeurs provides a buffet service created by the Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno. It's a shame that given the palatial theme, it's not a table service restaurant.

Each room is beautifully decorated and well appointed, with a luxurious double bed for adults and comfortable bunk beds for children. There's a cleverly designed TV that blends into the room, as well as Wi-Fi and air conditioning.

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It was time to enter the Grand Parc, which is about a 15-minute walk from the hotel. Of all the onsite hotels Le Grand Siècle is located the furthest away.

You'll do a lot of walking and the paths are very dusty, so wear comfortable walking shoes that you don't mind getting dirty!

Daytime Shows

The shows at Puy du Fou are world-class and on a scale we have never seen before. Every show includes huge jaw-dropping moments, often provided by extraordinary practical effects and the ingenious use of state-of-the-art technology.

The outdoor shows with the biggest 'wow factor' include:

• Le Signe du Triomphe - a Roman procession of animals followed by gladiator battles and chariot racing that's filled with dramatic sequences and special effects. We were rendered speechless when lions, tigers and hyenas were released into the amphitheatre.
• Les Vikings - Viking warriors disembark from their imposing longships to plunder a quiet village. Watch in awe as one of their ships, complete with crew, rises up from beneath the water and is later engulfed in a ball of fire.
• Le Secret de la Lance - set in the Hundred Years’ War, a young Shepherdess sets about discovering the secrets of a lance that has the power to protect their castle. There's jousting, sword fighting and stunts - the biggest of all being an entire fortification that vanishes before your eyes.
• Le Bal des Oiseaux Fantômes - think you've seen a falconry display, think again. 330 eagles, falcons, vultures, kites and owls circle in the sky, brushing against the heads of the audience.
• Les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde - in the Arthurian legend, Merlin puts Arthur's bravery to the test. Having beaten the curse of Excalibur, Arthur discovers the wonders of an enchanted lake. There is of course, a magical surprise!

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The indoor shows not to be missed:

• Mousquetaire de Richelieu - sword fighting, flamenco dancing and horse riding on a remarkable stage that floods during the show. A tale of romance in the 17th century.
• Le Dernier Panache - in some ways it's the closest to a West End show, but performed on a gigantic 360° stage where the entire auditorium rotates between the scenes. It tells the story of a French naval officer and hero of the American War of Independence.

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Although each of the shows are performed multiple times every day, it would be almost impossible to see all of them in just one day. We managed to see everything in two days, and that was only with careful planning.

The shows are between 20 - 40 minutes each and run to a strict timetable, so they will start and finish exactly when they are supposed to. The times change every day, so the app and printed guide are essential. The app also provides translation for all of the main shows, but unfortunately it doesn't include the walkthrough attractions, which is a shame as following the story is definitely a challenge.

Each show can accommodate several thousand people, but on busy days even that's not enough so there can be long queues before the seating areas open, which is around 30 minutes before the performances start.

We were provided with Pass Émotion which grants access to a preferred seating area for the main 7 shows, with the added bonus that you can turn up just 10 mins before the start so there's less waiting around. These are €15 per person, per day.

Walkthrough Attractions

The immersive walkthrough attractions at Puy du Fou are also tremendous. These are award-winning themed experiences on a totally new level, bringing together huge and detailed sets, live actors and elaborate special effects. They are open all day and each lasts 15-30 minutes. Imagine a dark ride, without the 'ride'.

• La Renaissance du Château - a tour of the Château du Puy du Fou with inhabitants from the past in each of the rooms, sharing their stories and anecdotes. Unlike the other walkthrough attractions, you are put into small groups and move between scenes at a controlled pace. It's nicely done but if you had to miss one, it would be this.
• Le Premier Royaume - follow the story of Clovis, the young King of the Franks, on his quest to found the first kingdom. This experience uses animation, lighting, sound, water and temperature to great effect.
• Les Amoureux de Verdun - enter First World War trenches for this powerful simulation where smoke fills the tunnels, the ground shakes and sirens wail, before a brief truce. It's not recommended for young children.
• Le Mystère de La Pérouse - join explorers aboard a ship for an expedition on the high seas that ends in tragedy. The scale of this attraction is immense, the detail is remarkable and the effects are breathtaking. It starts with an insight into daily life on an 18th-century vessel, then recreates an intense battle which leads to an astonishing finale as the ship sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

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Period Villages

It's not all about theatrical extravaganzas, the Grand Parc also includes recreated 4 period villages, a wonderful rose garden, several herb gardens, a nature valley with deer, and farmland with ancient breeds. We suggest taking time out from what can be a very hectic place, to slow down and explore the quieter areas.

• La Cité Médiévale - discover the riches of the Middle Ages and traditional crafts such as stone masons and calligraphy
• Le Fort de l’An Mil - a Viking village with with thatched roof huts. There's a blacksmith and various other displays
• Le Village XVIIIème - this attractive 18th-century village includes Le Grand Carillon, a clock tower with hundreds of bells
• Le Bourg 1900 - a bustling square full of Victorian and Edwardian-style shops, a market hall and an authentic bistro

They are so realistic, from the design and construction of the buildings, to the costumed staff that occupy them, that they feel like real 'living' places.

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Restaurants

The range of eateries is superb - with fast food, buffet and table service options. The quality is better than you'll find at most theme parks and Puy du Fou takes great pride in supporting local producers. During our stay we had the opportunity to try 5 of the park's restaurants. Here's a brief overview of these, including the cost of a set menu (adults/children) when booked in advance.

• La Mijoterie du Roy Henry - charming manor house with Renaissance décor, our 3-course lunch included delicious duck legs and potatoes with parsley. €15.50/€8.90
• La Table des Ambassadeurs - presented as a 6-course buffet dinner in a magnificent dining room, there were some nice dishes but overall the food didn't meet our expectations. €28/€11.50
• L'Ecuyer Tranchant - located in the kitchens of La Citadelle,  it's an an all-you-cat-eat carvery and buffet. €23.50/€11.50
• Le Bistrot - a splendid 3-course lunch within Le Bourg 1900, traditional French cuisine in a brasserie setting. The steak-frites was perfect. €21/€10.90
• Le Café de la Madelon - a decent meal with fantastic entertainment! There's a wedding, and those dining are the guests. The waiters and waitresses double up as talented performers. Not to be missed. €26.90/€11.50

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Evening Shows

Les Noces de Feu is the new evening show for 2020, a sequel to the previous one, Orgues de Feu. This beautiful show takes place on a lake in the centre of the Grand Parc and features classical music, fountains, fire and lights, dancers that can walk on water and illuminated structures that rise from below. 

By this point, we realised that everything at Puy du Fou is done to an incredibly high standard and there is always a clever trick or surprise in store. This show delivered on both counts. It's performed nightly, except when La Cinéscénie takes place.

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On our final night we had brilliant seats for the first performance of La Cinéscénie in 2020, the world's biggest night-time show, which takes place on the largest stage in the world (23 hectares!). Each performance features 2,550 actors, hundreds of horses and other animals, fireworks, fountains, drones, lasers, lighting effects, 3D projection mapping and a 14.1 sound system specially designed to envelop 13,000 spectators into the action.

The show portrays the history of France, from the Middles Ages to the Second World War, with a particular focus on the story of the Vendée region, where Puy du Fou is located. There are almost no words to describe how impressive this show is. It's an absolutely unmissable experience. Other than attending an Olympic opening or closing ceremony, you cannot see a show as enormous as this anywhere in the world.

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La Cinéscénie is 1 hour and 30 minutes long, and with a midnight finish we were very pleased to be staying onsite, but it's a lengthy walk back to the hotels on the opposite side of the park.

La Citadelle

You need at least two days to experience Puy du Fou as there's so much to see and do, and the accommodation is really part of the experience.

La Citadelle transports you to the Middle Ages, it looks and feels like a real medieval fortress, complete with its own tavern.

All of the 100 rooms feature carved oak beds, hand-painted murals, limewashed walls, stained glass windows and hanging lanterns. The essentials are there too, like air conditioning, Wi-Fi and a TV. The bathrooms are modern and spacious, with a walk-in shower, and there's a separate themed toilet.

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Getting to Puy du Fou is easy. It's located 1 hour from Nantes Atlantique Airport, with private transfers available. There is a shuttle bus from Angers-Saint-Laud TGV railway station. Free car parks are located at the entrance to the park and close to the hotels.

Our accommodation, meals and tickets were provided by Puy du Fou for the purposes of this review. A 2-day / 2-night stay including breakfast and park tickets starts at €138 per person.

Find out more.