Next to the world famous, multi-award winning Puy du Fou historic theme park in Les Epesses, in the Vendée, in the heart of the Pays de la loire, Cinoscenie takes place on a Friday and Saturday night when it gets dark.

It is an event. A marvellous, monumental and mesmerising theatrical extravaganza.

The biggest night-time show in the world

Cinoscenie is the world’s biggest night-time show. A stunning and stupendous show. In fact to call it show does it no justice. It is …

At Puy du Fou, 4,200 volunteers, known as Puyfolais, take part. Some of them have taken part for 43 years, since the whole thing began. Cinoscenie involves 12000 actors and thousands of costumes. Herds of animals. 800 fireworks. Drones. Music, dancing and special effects galore. And it all takes place on a 23 hectare stage (the equivalent to 23 full size football pitches!). It’s impossible to take it all in. It’s just so monumental. The story follows the destiny of a family from the Middle Ages to the Second World War. And it all takes place on the world’s biggest stage.

If you love spectacular and flamboyant shows, dancing, singing and all-round breath-taking performances – then this world class, record breaking, incredible show is for you. As darkness falls, and people make their way to the grand arena where the show takes place, you start to feel the atmosphere change. There’s excitement in the air. The show doesn’t start until it’s completely dark. In the summer months this can mean after 10pm. So, take a coat or blanket with you, especially for the little ones as even on hot sunny days, it can be cooler at night.

In an enormous amphitheatre, the tension builds. Then the show starts and I promise you, you won’t know which way to look because there is just so much going on. Awesome 3D video effects bring a tale spanning seven centuries to life. Amazing is a word that’s often overused – but in this case, it doesn’t even come close to describing the one and a half hour spectacle.

It’s great for the whole family.

History of Puy de Fou

Incredibly Puy du Fou was born in 1977 when a local, Philippe de Villiers staged a show to raise funds to restore the local castle. The show featured some of the villagers and was well received by the locals. So he did it again the next year. And from these humble beginnings the project just grew and grew.

The park has won a multitude of awards including Best Theme Park in the World. It’s also been voted Best Amusement Park in France and in Europe by TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice. And it’s won a host of best show in the world awards for several of its individual shows and interactive shows.

Now there are 600 young Puyfolais volunteers being trained in one of 30 disciplines. At Puy du Fou’s Académie Junior, students study costume, horse riding, film creation, animal training and much more. And Puy du Fou’s own primary school was launched in 2015, in tandem with state education (160 pupils 2020).

Puy du Fou España welcomed 72,000 guests to its first Spanish creation, ‘El Sueño de Toledo’, the biggest show in Spain, in 2019.

In China, the country’s first ‘Puy du Fou’ is scheduled to open at the foot of the Great Wall in 2022.

Practical info

Puy du Fou – one of the best theme parks in the world

Noces de Feu – an astounding night time show at Puy du Fou

Puy du Fou website – it’s best to book your tickets in advance for entry to the park and for Cinescenie: puydufou.com/france/en

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The Noces de Feu show at the incredible Puy dy Fou theme park is unique and truly incredible. How to describe this show? It’s not easy. Fantasy, fairy tales and fire…

As night falls and the sun dips behind the castles and Roman coliseum in the historic park, visitors flock to the take their seats on benches that run around a big lake.

A magical night-time show

I arrived at Puy du Fou on a Friday evening. I made my way to the onsite Hotel Le Grand Siècle modelled on and looking very like the Palace of Versailles. Dumping my bags off I headed straight to the park to go to the show which French newspapers had been raving about. As a hotel guest, I had an “Emotion Pass” which fast tracks you into shows.

Around a small lake, an eager audience sat to await the start of the show which occurs when it gets dark.

It’s a wedding ceremony water show like no other. It involves ballet performed on the surface of a lake and wonderful classic music. There are numerous special events that make you disbelieve your own eyes. You’ll see a life sized golden coach emerge from the water pulled by giant swans. A full size grand piano  rises up from the lake, complete with pianist. A floating violinist, diving footmen, a giant organ spouting fire, a floating apparition that made the crowd gasp in surprise. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. It’s a whirlwind of magic, totally bewitching, breathtakingly beautiful.

A fiery fairy tale

The story tells how a violinist muse and virtuoso pianist celebrate their eternal love in a fairyland of water and fire. This was my first show at Puy du Fou and what an introduction it was.  It’s all in French but you can download an app on your mobile phone, stick your earphones in (take your own) and hear it in English. I didn’t listen much at all, it was so spellbinding I simply watched in awe and enjoyed the wonderful music.

I asked one of the staff afterwards – how on earth does this work? She wouldn’t tell me, it’s a closely guarded secret. Part illusion, part technical: 100% magic.

Practical information

Puy du Fou is in Les Epesses, Vendée, Pays de la Loire, western France. You can take a train from Paris to Angers then a shuttle bus direct to the park.

Tip: The Puy du Fou shuttle bus leaves from just in front of Quai A (bus stop A) at the bus station (gare routiere to the left as you exit the station) If you have time, take a wander in Angers, it’s a short walk from the station to the castle and the old town.

If you go to Puy du Fou by car, there’s plenty of parking on site.

There are several onsite hotels and several restaurants – all with historic themes.

Read more about the incredible Puy du Fou theme park

Details and tickets: puydufou.com/france/en

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If you love history, fairy tales, pomp and splendour, ballet dancing horses, birds of prey that love to perform, and shows on a grand scale – you’ll love Puy du Fou theme park. Located in Les Epesses, in the heart of the Pays de la Loire, Puy du Fou is a marvellous melting pot of history, a feast of fantasy, a smorgasbord of sensational special effects.

West World meets Game of Thrones

It ain’t Disney that’s for sure.

You know that bit when the palaeontologists see the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park for the first time? Well I now know how they felt after my visit to Puy du Fou. It’s a sort of West World meets Game of Thrones with a dash of magic: Interactive, extravagant, lavish, extraordinary. If you love history – the Romans, the Vikings, the days of Louis XIV, the Belle Epoque, you’ll fall head over heels for this incredible multi-award winning theme park. Puy du Fou brings history to life…

It’s definitely not just for kids though kids love it – it’s just as much for adults, in fact possibly even more so. Don’t expect rides, apart from a carousel for kids, there are none. These are shows, and they are on an epic scale. Some shows are interactive, some are audience based. All are incredible – a word that’s probably over used, but in this case, totally justified. More than 2,500 actors and more than 1,500 animals are involved.

There is nowhere quite like it anywhere in the world.

Romans, Vikings and musketeers

There are several full scale shows at Puy du Fou covering different eras of French history from the Romans to the early 20^th century. I started my first day with musketeers at the Mousquetaire de Richelieu show which takes place inside a monumental theatre – where you’ll see the world’s largest theatre stage curtain. From the very start the audience are drawn in with a warm up act that has everyone cheering, there are sword fights and flamenco dancing in this swashbuckling show but the real stars for me are the pure white dancing horses, so beautiful they bought tears to my eyes. And when the entire stage, a whopping 2,500m₂, fills with water and sprinkling fountains – you won’t believe your eyes.

Then it was on to meet the Romans. I walked down a dusty track to enter a full-sized Gallo-Roman coliseum which has an air of authenticity I really didn’t expect. A Roman guard appeared, the crowd boo’d. When the gladiators appeared there were wild cheers. The show involves a guard who falls in love with a slave girl and becomes a gladiator. It involves herds of ostriches, geese, camels and even big cats. In one scene, a wagon full of slaves is covered with tarpaulin and a tiger, yes a real one, enters the top of it followed by the sound of screaming. Don’t worry no humans are harmed!

When the gladiators fight and stab each other, there’s plenty of fake blood flowing. There are chariot races complete with crashes. As I said, this isn’t Disney. It doesn’t pretend to be the real thing, it’s not pretentious, but it is marvellously realistic where it can be! The crowd loved it. Kids were jumping up and down giving the thumbs up and thumbs down. Brilliant.

It has to be seen to be believed

The Viking show involved a burning boat and fabulous horse riding skills. There were trained wolves, and an astonishing 20m long boat rising from the water. The Secret of the Lance had a superb horsemanship display and some cute trained sheep! It also had some terrific illusions, I couldn’t work out how one minute someone was standing there, there was a puff of smoke and all that was left was a pile of clothes – right in front of us, very clever. And an enormous castle that rises from the ground. I’m not going to tell you everything because you really have to see it for yourself to believe it.

Interactive shows and period villages

In addition to the big shows, Puy du Fou has a number of interactive shows and period villages. I assure you it’s impossible to be bored here!

I loved the Medieval city with its cobbled street, half-timbered houses, artisans workshops and astonishing attention to detail.

There are gardens, fountain displays, fields of animals and flower valleys that are perfect to take a break and chill. Nature is always at the heart of Puy du Fou and there are 45 gardeners tending the park producing around 500kg of vegetables for the onsite restaurants.

And there are interactive shows. The Lovers of Verdun takes you through trenches, canons boom,  the sound of men talking, the ground shakes and sirens scream. But it’s Christmas so there’s a surprise ending… Actors draw you into the story and make it that much more real.

My favourite interactive event was the Mystery of La Pelouse which takes you on board an 18^th century ship from Cape Horn to Alaska in a storm. Water flows through the ceiling, the floor wobbles beneath you, you can hear the sailors shouting as they try to bail out, watch them working, see icebergs passing the window. It’s an awesome piece of theatre, innovative and spectacular.

The Birds

As you take your seat in a huge arena, you’ll hear squawks and squeaks. But nothing prepares you for the sight of trained pelicans, rooks, owls and eagles flying just inches above your head, so close you can feel your hair lift as they sweep by. Landing on a ledge to my right, a white owl fixed its beady eyes ahead then turned very slowly to look into my eyes. I felt goose bumps on my arms as we connected, it really was quite emotional. At the end a ballet of birds fills the sky, 330 of them, swirling, swooping, winging their way round and round the arena. I looked at the audience around me, open-mouthed in surprise, eyes wide – entranced.

Puy du  Fou – pure magic

The staff are really friendly and welcoming throughout the park. And no matter your age, Puy du Fou brings out your inner child. Totally magical.

Don’t miss: Noces de Feu – the Marriage of Fire night-time show
Must see: Cinéscénie – a world class record breaking show with more than 4000 participants next door to Puy du Fou!

Where to stay

Definitely – on site! I stayed at Le Grand Siecle Hotel – it’s faux Versailles but beautifully done (and the shower was superb). The staff dress in costume from reception to restaurant! The hotel backs on to fields where early in the morning the birds of prey are trained and exercised – a wonderful sight. There are 6 themed hotels so pick your favourite historic period and dream of the days of Rome, the middle ages, the 16^th or the 18^th century.

Where to eat

There are 22 restaurants and snack bars on site. I tried several! The restaurants of Table des Ambassadeurs (Grand Siecle) and at the Camp du Drap d’Or (in the style of the Field of the cloth of gold, Henry VIII, or rather his competitor French King Francis 1) both offered buffet style lunch and dinner. I thought they were great value for the generous portions and well cooked food. 90% of the cold meats, salads and vegetables – including Noirmoutier potatoes and mogettes (white beans) – are sourced locally.

Tip: book your table when you book your tickets on the website. There are set meal times and all restaurants are really popular.

There are plenty of places to stop and eat, have a snack, drink, ice cream as well as picnic areas.

How to get to there

You can take a train from Paris to Angers then a shuttle bus direct to the park. Tip: The Puy du Fou shuttle bus leaves from just in front of Quai A (bus stop A) at the bus station (gare routiere to the left as you exit the station). If you have time, take a wander in Angers. It’s a short walk from the station to the castle and the old town. If you go to Puy du Fou by car, there’s plenty of parking on site.

Find more details, book hotels and get tickets online at: www.puydufou.com/france/en

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Disneyland Paris is the most visited theme park in Europe. Clearly everyone loves a little magic in their lives!

Being this popular could mean that getting in to enjoy all that Disneyland Paris offers, isn’t as much fun as you’d like. But that’s not the case if you sort your tickets out in advance. There no queuing up for tickets, you can scan the barcode for quick entry or if you prefer just show the e-ticket on your phone – you don’t even have to print your tickets.

Here are our top tips for how to make the most of your day at Disneyland Paris

Top tips for Disneyland Paris

It’s big. The Disney Village Paris covers a whopping 500,000 square feet. You won’t be able to see it all in one day, but you can cover a lot if you focus on what you really want to do.

With a mind-boggling 54 rides, focus on the ones you absolutely have to experience. The most popular rides include Big Thunder Mountain Railroad for thrilling rollercoaster action. Pirates of the Caribbean, where you’ll join Captain Jack Sparrow for a waterlogged ride and the Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain are firm favourites. Ratatouille is a fabulous 4D experience and one of the most popular experiences. In its first year, 4 million people enjoyed the wonder.

Take advantage of the Disneyland® Paris FASTPASS service. It’s free and basically gives you a ride time slot so you don’t have to queue for hours. Just insert your entry ticket into the FASTPASS machine of the attraction that interests you, return at the time indicated, and embark in a few minutes. If you have a baby, ask for a “Baby Switch” card at the entrance. This allows one of you to queue and ride while the other looks after baby and then use the card to ride without having to queue.

The evening fireworks show, lighting up the enchanting Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, is fabulous. Find your place for watching at least 15 minutes before the start as it can get a bit crowded on Main Street!

And finally, take a stroller for young kids or hire one. All that walking can make little ones tired and grumpy.

Day trips for Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is just a few stops from the city centre by train and super easy to do. Take the RER Line A to Marne-La-Vallee which stops right outside Disneyland Paris. If you want to stay for the fireworks display, be aware that in the summer it doesn’t start until dark so make sure you leave enough time to get the last train back to Paris or book a transfer in advance.

If you’re coming from Charles de Gaulle Airport you can take a train or book a private transfer between Charles de Gaulle and Disneyland Paris – if there are 3 or more of you, the vehicles take up to 7 so this can work out cheaper than the shuttle bus. You can also book a secure Paris airport luggage service which is super handy for those who are ending their Paris holiday on a high with a Disneyland Paris day out. Just get your luggage picked up from your accommodation, transferred to your Paris airport and collect when you’re ready.

Tips for saving money on your Disneyland Paris trip

Our top tip no. 1 to help you save money on your Disneyland Paris trip is to plan ahead as much as you can – and avoid peak times if at all possible.

You’ll find early booking advantages can make a big difference to ticket prices. School holidays and special events such as Halloween will mean increased ticket prices. And visiting mid-week is generally cheaper than visiting weekends.

There are lots of places to get a bite to eat in Disneyland Paris. However you can really cut back on costs by taking snacks with you. Lots of people think that you can’t take food in, not so. Cool boxes and picnic chairs aren’t allowed but snacks, sandwiches, bottles of drink etc are all fine and there’s a picnic area outside the main entrance. There are water dispensers throughout the park so simply top up your bottles as you need.

Souvenirs, toys and costumes can really rack up the cost at Disneyland Paris – especially when you have little ones. If you already have Disney gear at home, take it with you and save your money for the special items you might not be able to get elsewhere. And take umbrellas and rain macs and sunscreen according to the weather forecast, buying them on the go can prove expensive.

More on Paris

Top ten things to do in Paris
5 Must-sees in Montmartre, Paris
What to do in Paris when it rains

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Futuroscope theme park in Poitou-Charentes make for a brilliant day out or short break.

Read our review of this fabulous theme park that’s great for the whole family.

Top tips for a visit to Futuroscope

Try and avoid peak times, in particular the first three weeks in August.

There’s a “Pass Premium” available for 15€/person which gives you priority to all the simulators in the park plus a discount in all the shops. If you’ve only got one day there (there is a hotel if you want to stay), it’s well worth considering. Apart from feeling extremely important, it means you save time on queuing and can squeeze more in!

There’s a really clear map with a timetable on it available in English at the gate. The timetable changes according to the time of the year or week and it’s worth studying it before you set off. Some of the big attractions have a last show at 4pm and you don’t want to miss them.

The English headset (without headphones) comes free with the ticket. Although it doesn’t always work brilliantly, it’s worthwhile. Bring your own headphones or pay 1€ per pair.

Some of the rides have minimum height restrictions although I saw what looked like very young children on quite bumpy rides.

The late-night spectacular is fantastic but if you don’t want to get stuck in the car park with the 5,000 other people who also stay late to watch it, leave just before the end. Seats at the top of the auditorium are closer to the exit. Make your escape 5 minutes before the show finale. The result is a unique viewing of the end of the firework display and being able to drive straight out of a still deserted car park.

The worry with some theme parks is that eating there will leave you close to financially destitute but actually you can eat here at a reasonable price (An evening meal for 4 was just over 43€ 2017). Admittedly it was in a slightly strange crepèrie which appeared to have had an unusual encounter with a 1950s American salon. But burger and panacake fans will love the choices. And for the grown-ups, carafes and half carafes of rosé are available too.

Directions and details for Futuroscope

Futuroscope has an English website en.futuroscope.com with a map of the park and directions and it’s really well sign posted from miles around. It’s just to the west of Poitiers on the A10 (exit 28). Parking is easy but paid and there’s also a TGV train station.

You can book on line or buy at tickets at the gate. Prices vary and also include “breaks” for 2 or 3 nights.

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The award winning Futuroscope theme park in Poitou-Charentes, southwest France, is brilliant for kids of all ages!

What is Futuroscope all about?

If you haven’t heard of Futuroscope, what exactly is it? Well put at its simplest, it’s a theme park just outside Poitiers. The attractions are based on multimedia, cinematography and audio-visual techniques, with 3D and 4D attractions, some of which are unique in the world. But that doesn’t really do justice to this insanely bizarre and utterly French experience.

Top rides for maximum excitement at Futuroscope

We started with the Vienne Dynamique, one of the top attractions and the one that made me feel sick. If you can imagine being strapped into a seat in a simulator and then taken on a journey which involved a magical spitting tree (yes we got wet), a bride groom late for his wedding and a full throttle journey that had us jumping off a train, flying through the sky over the Vienne, driving a racing car through the back streets of a tiny village and firing down a river in a very small boat at top speed, you might begin to understand when I say it’s quirky. Despite feeling sick, I loved every second.

My guts took a further pounding with another 4D simulator experience Arthur and the world of the Minimoys. If you don’t know what that’s all about (and I didn’t), imagine climbing into the driving seat of a bug the size of a ladybird and having to take the controls at high speed. I think we went down a drain, definitely nearly got sucked up by a frog’s tongue and ran into a swarm of angry looking black insects who appeared to be out to destroy us. Brilliant if slightly bizarre.

Weird and wonderful rides at Futuroscope theme park

For tamer rides you can travel through time with the Raving Rabbids whilst sitting on a toilet, experience the Ice Age, dive to the bottom of the ocean with Jacques Cousteau and discover a tiny microscopic world and the inside of a spider’s web. There are also live shows including the iMagic show which we missed because of timings, and the Mysteries of the Cube which involved some risky gymnastics. “Not quite what I was expecting” as my daughter said, more or less summing up the whole day.

Other favourite attractions for my kids included the Futur l’Expo where they got to try out technology including magic mirrors, robots and eating food of the future that made them blow smoke out of their noses! And who doesn’t want to do that? And of course, Dancing with Robots was a massive hit. Thankfully the man on the door warned us to view it before we tried it as it was nothing like what I’d expected or seen in the trailers. You’re strapped into a chair at the end of a giant robotic arm and basically thrown around in the air! You can imagine the children loved it but my stomach and I preferred to stay on the ground.

The Incredible Imax 4k laser cinema at Futuroscope

But it’s not all about making mother’s feel sick and France’s first ever IMAX 4K laser cinema is genuinely fantastic. With Stephen Fry doing the commentary, you’re taken deep into the tiny world of a chipmunk and mouse. Imagine being smaller than a snake as it throws its mouth wide open and prepares for the kill, or seeing the hairy legs of a giant mouse eating spider reach out to grab you and gobble you up! ]

Futuroscope’s night time shows

The timing of the night show varies according to light conditions. Put on by the Cirque du Soleil, on our visit this involved a 2CV driving on water, a sound, light and para-technique display, a giant hologram, a moon and a massive firework display. I didn’t quite follow all the details of the story which seemed to be broadly along the lines of giant hologram boy meets girl, puts girl on the moon and then runs into trouble, and we’d surrendered our headsets by then. But hey, I don’t think the detail was that important.

Futuroscope is for everyone

There are 22 main attractions in total and lots and lots else to explore. You really do need 2 days or a pair of long distance working shoes and a sense of endurance. In one day we managed about 13 of the main attractions as well as the night show but we barely stopped for a breather.

French theme parks are in a league of their own (just think of Puy du Fou for a start) and Futuroscope is no exception. It wasn’t what I was expecting and I generally dread the idea of long queues and lots of people but the park is spacious and even includes giant bean bags for you to take a break on. I saw elderly couples on their own enjoying the rides and all the staff are really helpful and nice. The park is also easy to navigate (if big and a good day’s walk).

Practical Information for Futuroscope

• Futuroscope has an English website en.futuroscope.com with a map of the park and directions and it’s really well sign posted from miles around. It’s just to the west of Poitiers on the A10 (exit 28). Parking is easy but paid. There’s also a TGV train station.

• You can book on line or buy at tickets at the gate. Prices vary and also include “breaks” for 2 or 3 nights

Read our Top Tips for visiting Futuroscope

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Arriving at Dennlys Park deep in the countryside of Pas de Calais, you’re struck by the sound of children’s laughter and carousel music.

I went with my kids who loved it. There are rides suitable for really little ones, 18-month-old Rachel loved the tractor ride, 4-year-old Leo loved being the tractor driver. Considerably older Harry and Trudy loved the more exciting rides including an old school wooden rollercoaster.

The carousel is the perfect starter ride and there’s even benches on it for mums and dads to sit on if they want to accompany little ones. A nice little touch which illustrates how much thought has gone into this rather sweet theme park. It’s been a firm favourite with the locals of this area for 30 years and aims to provide family themed fun and rides that the whole family can enjoy together as much as possible.

Once you’ve paid your entrance fee you can go on all the rides. There are no tickets or passes and very little queuing is involved which makes it so much more fun.

It’s definitely not Alton Towers, the rides are a bit retro and a bit quirky. There’s a mad horse riding race with plastic life-sized horses on a race track. Watching the riders lurch back and forth and as they “gallop” round is one of the funniest rides I’ve ever seen.

Water rides, whirly rides, slow, fast, high and low, things that whizz round and things that go at a rather more sedate pace, you go through water and through the air. There are loads of rides to enjoy here, more than 30, and plenty to keep kids occupied for hours. Leo was mesmerised by the water park which was quite tame with jets from holes in the floor. However, every few minutes a huge truckload of water tips out from on high and soaks the unaware. Little boys especially seemed to love the chance to get caught out accidentally on purpose! Tip: take spare clothes if your kids are the type who like to run about in water jets!

There are several on site restaurants with friendly staff and speedy service – think burgers and chips. There are also tables and chairs where you can sit and enjoy a picnic.

Safety and security are paramount at this park. Fun is what you can expect and lots to do without a queue which is always a total bonus in my books! There are no pop your money in amusement arcade style machines, apart from a water pistol range, all the rides are included in the price. That to me means no whining children who want money to waste.

Highly recommended for kids of all ages, even little ones which really makes a change.

There’s plenty of parking spaces (free), you can buy tickets online, from a booth or a machine in the wall on the square in front of the park.

Get there: Dennlys Park is in Denebroeucq, not far from Boulogne-sur-Mer or Saint Omer or Agincourt.

11 Rue du Moulin de la Tour, 62560 Dennebroeucq, France

Website: www.dennlys-parc.com (English language website)

More family fun in the area:

Bagatelle – a theme park for patient parents and waterproof children!
Opal Aventure – like “Go Ape” but better!
10 action packed family things to do in nothern France from steam train rides to boat rides and more…

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Bagatelle or Baggy Land as it is sometimes rather whimsically called, is big, bold and brilliant for waterproof children and patient parents…

There are plenty of theme parks to visit in France but one of the most charming and authentically French ones I’ve been to is Bagatelle in Pas de Calais, about an hour from Calais port.

What to love at Bagatelle

There are loads of rides, around 40 in all, and I would say it’s impossible to go on them all in a day but if you try hard, you might just be able to do it since queuing here is almost non-existent.

I went on a school holiday mid-week spring day. Having endured Disney Paris in the school holidays I was assuming I’d be in for long waits to get on rides (and not looking forward to it, keeping kids happy in slow lines is not easy), but there was none of that going on. I checked with my friends who take their kids there too and they say the same – it’s never that packed that you have to queue for ages, though some of the more popular rides, like the Famous Jack, might require a tiny wait.

There’s a vast car park opposite the theme park which is on the outskirts of the seaside town of Merlimont. From here you can go via the underpass straight into the park where you buy your entry tickets. I thought the price was incredibly good value considering how much there is to do. Kids under 1m are free, up to 1.45m Euros 19.90 and adults Euros 24.50 (as at 2016). If you think you’re going to go several times – get a “Baggy Pass” which means unlimited entry and it’s excellent value.

The park opened in 1955 and has kept up to date with modern rides as well as some rather quirky rides such as an automated horse race track where you get to ride the mechanical horses!

There are scary rides for those who like roller coasters and grand swinging things, splash rides for those who don’t mind getting a bit wet (take a spare set of trousers if you like your kids to be dry on the way home!), fun rides like dodgem cars, rides for little kids and big kids and even a small farmyard zoo. One of my favourite things was the high dive act where talented divers climbed an impressively tall ladder and twirled, curled and unfurled into a round pool.

There are plenty of snack bars available, though typically French many seemed to be only open at designated eating times and not all day. There are chips, hot dogs and burgers galore on offer, but if that doesn’t float your boat, there are some picnic areas you can use with tables and benches.

All in all, I loved it here. I loved not having to queue and the diversity of rides. I really enjoyed the very Frenchness of it all – quite different from big, blousy, massively expensive theme parks that seem to be the rage. It was enormous fun, really easy to spend an entire day here without getting bored with queues and crowds and I’d recommend it to anyone with kids.

Website: parcbagatelle.com

More fun things to do in the area:
Le Touquet the secret getaway of Parisians
Saturday market at Montreuil-sur-Mer – a beautiful hill-top town where Victor Hugo found inspiration for Les Miserables
Boulogne-sur-Mer where you’ll find the longest crypt in France at the Basilica Notre-Dame in the old part of the city

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Disneyland Paris is Europe’s number one attraction. That makes it pretty busy, pretty much all of the time.

When I say busy, I mean it, a staggering 14.2 million visitors in 2014. It’s certainly big enough to accommodate all those people but some days are busier than others and I don’t know about you but I’d hate to turn up and not be able to get in because it’s packed! So, how do you make sure that this doesn’t happen, and save money at the same time?

Attractiontix are one of several companies who sell tickets online for Disneyland Paris – except they’re cheaper than going direct! They are already really well known for money saving ticket services for Disneyland theme parks in the US and now they’re able to help with the Paris Disney Park.

I visited Disneyland Paris recently but instead of just rocking up and queuing for tickets as I have in the past, I got tickets online because I knew with the “Frozen” show, and it being summer, the park was going to be really packed. I was right!

It’s very easy to buy your tickets online, you simply print off the email confirm and take it with you (take your passports or ID cards too – you’ll need to show them at the entrance). At the ticket booths at Disney, hand over the paper and your passport and go straight through! While I was there I checked the price of the tickets on the gate against the price of my Attractiontix tickets.  I’d saved more than 30%, about £20.00 per ticket which paid for our food!

The tickets come with FASTPASS® included as standard. This lets you avoid the queues on some of the most popular rides by picking a return time for your chosen ride. The FASTPASS® machines are specific to a ride and you can only book for one ride at a time. You can then go off and have fun elsewhere in the park, and return to the ride at your specified time slot. For instance, one ride had a 2 hour wait while I was there, but the FASTPASS® option meant I could pick my time slot and go and other rides until my time came up. When you have kids with you this is not just good, it’s great!

Speaking from experience, it definitely is worth doing a bit of planning in advance. Work out what rides you really want to go on and where they are. It’s a big park and it’s easy to just drift which means you’ll almost certainly miss a few of the shows and rides, some of which close early. There are guide leaflets at the entrance and you’ll find that the resort is made up of Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios, Disney Village and the hotels. Disneyland Park is fashioned after the original Disneyland in California and as you’d expect has many of the same rides:  Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan’s Flight,  Thunder Mountain, etc. There are rides for all ages from little ones to older and taller and those who love a big dose of adrenalin! If you can, stay for the fireworks and light show at the end of the night, the time is changeable, earlier in the winter and later in the summer but it’s totally worth it!

Check out more Disneyland Paris reports:
Dream Castle Hotel
Earl Of Sandwich for a great and not at all expensive food break at Disneyland Paris
Planet Hollywood, lights, camera, action!

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Staying at Dream Castle Disneyland Paris is a real treat…

Just a few minutes from the Disneyland Park by free shuttle bus, the 4 Star Dream Castle is a great extension to the whole Disney experience in Paris. And, if you’re intending to enjoy the night time sound and light show and the fantastic fireworks extravaganza (which in my opinion is the best bit of the whole Disneyland Paris offering), being so close to the hotel is brilliant.

If you come by train to Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy station about 45 minutes from Paris, just hop on the bus outside, it’s completely free and does drop offs at several local hotels including Dream Castle. Register at the hotel, drop your luggage off and head on back via the free bus shuttle outside the entrance to the hotel. Buses run every few minutes and drop you back at the station, a 2 minute walk to Disneyland Park.

I stayed in a family room which had a really comfy double bed and cute bunk beds for the kids complete with theatrical long curtains to pull round. Overlooking the pristine gardens of the hotel and surrounding countryside the room was spotlessly clean, quiet, air-conditioned (very welcome in the summer heat) and comfortable. Having L’Occitane products in the bathroom was a little bit of luxury and a welcome touch.

The hotel has a restaurant service and in the morning, fairy tale characters visit the kids at breakfast time which really sets them up for a day of excitement and fun.

A word about breakfast: awesome. Fresh peaches, cooked English style breakfast, croissants, Scandinavian style, great coffee, juices, and yoghurts of all kinds. You can eat your fill, ensure that the kids get a very healthy, wholesome start to the day and be set for several hours of walking and fun in the Disney Park.

If you want to keep the family busy and entertained while at the hotel, then you’ll find plenty to do. There are pretty gardens with a little maze and play park. Snooker tables, young children’s rides and in the summer months free concerts on specific nights. If you feel like a day off from Disney, it’s only a 45 minute drive to Champagne or you can nip into Paris on the train very easily. Or, enjoy the hotel spa and a massage. I was worried that the hotel would be filled with over excited screaming kids, it didn’t happen, except at breakfast when the fairytale characters made an appearance (the hotel has a princess, musketeer and dragon), that got the kids really going. It also made for a great photo opportunity and kids and parents queued to have their photo taken!

The hotel has all sorts of great packages so that you can celebrate a special birthday, anniversary and even a glamorous Honeymoon package.

On previous visits I’ve only ever done a day trip which has meant I’ve never been able to see the fireworks as I’ve always had to drive home or catch the last train. What a difference it made having a hotel close by and one that doesn’t chuck you out early in the morning (noon check out time). Luxury. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do Disney again without it!

TOP TIP: When the firework show ends, everyone heads en masse for the free buses. If you’ve got young kids with you, you might want to make sure you place yourself in a spot where you can make a quick getaway to the bus station. Although the buses are frequent, you may have to wait for several to ferry off the crowds if you’re at the back of the queue.

Dream Castle Disneyland Paris

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