Nigloland is a popular theme park in France, located in Dolancourt, part of the Champagne region Aube.

Ever since our interview with Rodolphe Gélis (Director of Operations) about Krampus Expédition, which opened in 2021, the park has been on our 'must visit' list.

We finally got the opportunity to experience the park this year, and what we discovered was one of the most magical theme parks in Europe.

 

Nigloland is one of the most visited parks in France, after Disneyland Paris and Parc Astérix. It was created by two brothers, Patrice and Philippe Gélis, and opened in 1987. The name 'Nigloland' comes from its mascot, 'Niglo', which means hedgehog in Romani.

A stone’s throw from the theme park is the onsite Hôtel des Pirates. We stayed at the hotel the night before our visit to the park, so arrived at the entrance feeling rested and ready for a day of adventures.

Our visit coincided with the Printemps de Niglo (Spring at Nigloland) celebrations, with the whole park transformed into a colourful seasonal wonderland.

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Alpina Blitz

The theme park's flagship roller coaster is a 'Mega Coaster' from Mack Rides that delivers a fantastic ride experience despite it's relatively modest size.

With a drop of 33 metres, a top speed of more than 80 km/h, a layout packed with banked turns and bunny hops that deliver 4.3G in force and 9 moments of airtime, it's a wild ride!

Alpina Blitz opened in 2014 at a cost of €8 million and remains a stand out attraction at the park.

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Krampus Expédition

The exciting €12 million attraction (the park's largest investment ever) from the German manufacturer Mack Rides is 600 metres long, 28 metres tall and delivers 3.5G in force.

In the theme for the new ride, Nigloland has brought the forgotten legend of the Alps back to life. The queue, station and lake area have been designed to create an immersive Alpine setting.

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Donjon de l'Extrême

Standing 100 metres tall, Donjon de l'Extrême is one of the tallest rotating free-fall drop tower rides in the world, and it dominates the Nigloland skyline.

The views from the top are incredible, with Nigloland situated in picturesque countryside, surrounded by the Champagne vineyards of the region and forests.

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Noisette Express 

Opening in 2020, the Noisette Express (Hazelnut Express) was an investment of €3 million.

The roller coaster was designed by the French theme park to create an exciting ride that can be enjoyed by younger visitors. German manufacturer Art Engineering built the ride and Dutch company P&P Projects created the scenery.

In the same area of the park, you'll also find the delightful Zabeilles ride, where bees take guests on a flight through a land of giants.

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Magical Villages

Themed areas at the park include Niglo Forest, Village Canadien, Rock'n Roll Village and Swiss Village. Each is beautifully landscaped, with an abundance of trees and flowers, colourful themed rides and attractions, shows, and places to eat and drink. The park is incredibly well maintained, everything is spotlessly clean and the atmosphere is very relaxed.

The views from the 60-metre tall Grande Roue are fantastic, especially when looking down over Alpina Blitz and Krampus Expédition.

We enjoyed lunch at Le Canada Bar, which serves their famous 'Lumberjack Skillet'. Our meal was delicious and reasonably priced. The other food options around the park looked to be of good quality and value.

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Inspired by Disney

Nigloland has a number of rides inspired by classic Disney attractions, after the Gélis brothers visited Walt Disney World in the early 1980s and wanted to recreate a little of what they had seen. These include Spatiale Expérience (Space Mountain), Gold Mine Train (Big Thunder Mountain), Manoir Hanté (Haunted Mansion), Africa Cruise (Jungle Cruise), King of Mississippi (Liberty Square Riverboat) and Circuit de Nigloland (Autopia).

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Hôtel des Pirates

Our stay at the 4-star Hôtel des Pirates was a highlight of our visit. This wonderful themed hotel has comfortable rooms, a restaurant, bar and play area. Each room has two double beds, a bathroom, separate toilet, air-conditioning, TV and free Wi-Fi. It's just a short walk from the entrance to the park.

The excellent dinner buffet provides a full 3-course meal, with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks included, priced at €49 for adults and €21 for children. We were particularly impressed with the wide choice of meat and fish available, cooked to order. In the morning, a generous breakfast buffet is also available, priced at €18 for adults and €12 for children.

Throughout our stay the service provided was excellent, and we wouldn't hesitate to recommended the hotel when visiting the park. New themed lodges are also on the way, as part of the Cabaiana resort expansion.

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We were guests of Nigoland for the purpose of this review.

Find out more and book your tickets at nigloland.com