We were invited to Parc Astérix for the official inauguration of a new themed area, Festival Toutatis, including the tallest and fastest roller coaster in France.

The new area is dedicated to the God of the Gauls, and covers 3 hectares within the park. Festival Toutatis is the result of the largest investment ever made by Parc Astérix, a whopping €36 million.

Toutatis is a world-class roller coaster that puts Parc Astérix on the global map for thrill seekers. It has transformed the park from a national to an international destination.

Parc Astérix was already one of the best theme parks in Europe, as we discovered on our last visit in 2020, but now it has an attraction with the potential to draw visitors from around the world.

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We had the opportunity to experience everything that Festival Toutatis has to offer, enjoy the rest of the park, stay overnight at La Cité Suspendue and speak directly to Julien Simon, Project Manager at Compagnie des Alpes, and Sébastien Retailleau, Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Parc Astérix.

Julien and Sébastien explained how this six year project (two lost to covid) came together, from the initial idea and concept to the design and construction, along with the broader ambitions for the park and the future of the resort.

It's remarkable how quickly the popularity of Parc Astérix has grown, with the park reaching its highest ever levels last year, at 2.6 million visitors. An unprecedented 10 year investment period will see new rides and attractions added every year and further accommodation for the resort. 

The ambition is to upgrade each area of the park to the same standard as Festival Toutatis, which is a very exciting prospect given the high standard that this new themed area has set.

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The inauguration

Parc Astérix sure know how to throw a party, with the opening speeches followed by presentations, character appearances, pyrotechnics and a set by superstar DJ and producer Martin Solveig. The 600 invited guests were treated to an epic 4-hour music festival with a plentiful supply of food and drink, live entertainment and the opportunity to thoroughly test the new attractions.

With the festivities in full swing and after a few glasses of champagne we actually lost count of how many rides we had on Toutatis, but we will say that as darkness falls the experience of riding the roller coaster in the dark elevates the attraction to an even higher level.

Earlier in the evening Patrick Spieldiener, the CEO of ride manufacturer Intamin, presented Delphine Pons (General Manager of Parc Astérix) and François Fassier (Vice President for Leisure Parks at Compagnie des Alpes) with a 3D-printed replica of the roller coaster’s train. It's definitely a looker, with the design work on this, along with the rest of the attraction, being of superb quality. Companies such as AAB and KAERU Theme Park Design, and composer Benjamin Ribolet, have all worked their magic to bring Festival Toutatis to life.

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Festival Toutatis

The new themed area is in keeping with the spirit of a Gaulish festival in the middle of the Carnutes forest where the tribes of Gaul come to celebrate their God Toutatis.

Toutatis itself is very much the flagship attraction, but due to its clever design only the launch sections, top hat and vertical spike are visible from the ride area, so the majority of the experience remains a mystery until riders are hurtling through it.

An imposing 11-metre-tall statue of Toutatis stands in the centre of the land, which provided a sensational backdrop for the inauguration event, and the Toutatis station is cleverly disguised as an ancient mound.

This new area is perfect for the whole family. The second ride Chez Gyrofolix is a Zamperla Nebulaz family attraction with a hypnotic movement that will delight both young and old - with its 4 arms that rotate in orbit, visitors fly high above the area. For little Gauls, the Sanglier d’Or play area is located at the entrance to the zone. With its many attractions and giant yellow boar, it is the largest play area in the park.

The existing bobsled ride La Trace du Hourra has been incorporated into the area, along with the superb restaurant Le Relais Gaulois. Further additions include the new Au Dolmen Gourmand eatery for tasty burgers and beers with alfresco dining, and the new Boutique Toutatis gift shop with an extensive range of exclusive merchandise.

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Toutatis

Julien Simon, Project Manager at Compagnie des Alpes, has worked on the design of more than 12 roller coasters during his career, including the recent addition of Kondaa at Walibi Belgium, but Toutatis is his greatest achievement yet.

The brief for Toutatis was clear. It had to break records. Not just French or European ones, but a world record. So not only is Toutatis the tallest and fastest roller coaster in France, but it features 23 moments of airtime, the most you'll experience on any steel roller coaster in the world. 

Julien described Toutatis as being a mix of all the best roller coaster elements currently available, designed with absolute precision in order to guarantee visitors an utterly thrilling ride but without any features that might make riders nauseous. A lower than expected 1.3m height requirement also means that the ride can be experienced by many of the families that the park attracts.

Brave visitors will embark on a sensational journey during which they will experience no fewer than 7 forward and reverse accelerations, up to a maximum speed of 110km/h (a French record). On more than 1300m of circuit, they will cross a total of 32 elements, including a 51m high vertical spike, a 101° inclined drop and 3 inversions. The 3 trains, with 20 seats each, ensure an impressive capacity of 1,260 riders per hour.

The soundtrack for the ride was was performed by 75 musicians from Budapest, Brittany, Scotland and England. It cleverly ramps up the excitement along the queue until you reach the ride's station, which is completely immersive and features a dramatic light and sound production every time a train is dispatched.

For the theme, as the park already had two iconic roller coasters named after gods, Tonnerre 2 Zeus and Oziris, it felt right create a trinity by naming this one after a Celtic god that was worshipped in ancient Gaul.

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La Cité Suspendue

Having previously stayed at Les Quais de Lutèce on our last visit, we were delighted to have the opportunity to experience another of the onsite hotels. This time it was the wonderful La Cité Suspendue, a network of enchanting wooden houses on stilts surrounded by a protected forest. Each of the 150 beautifully decorated rooms has a balcony to make the most of the tranquil setting surrounded by nature.

It was extremely comfortable, and remarkably peaceful despite being just a 10-minute walk to the park. In the morning we enjoyed a plentiful breakfast in La Table des Druides, which offered a wide choice of cooked and continental options. Then we benefitted from 30 minutes early entry to the park.

2 nights at La Cité Suspendue start from £669 per room for a family of four. The price includes accommodation, a breakfast and tickets to the park.

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Our second day at the park enabled us to get a few extra rides on Toutatis and revisit some of our favourite attractions, as well as watching all the main shows for the first time. We would highly recommend making time for these, in particular the impressive stunt show Main basse sur la Joconde, high diving spectacular Les plongeons de l'Olympe and the daily parade Défilé Gaulois.

Find out more!

• Our review and photos of Parc Astérix in 2020
• Book your Parc Astérix tickets or a short break