If you are planning a family holiday to France, then you may be wondering where to find the best theme parks. France is a stunning country with a lot of scenery, but it also has a wealth of other theme parks too.
You have probably heard of Disneyland, but there are many other fabulous theme parks to visit. Some have taken their inspiration from the French history and culture whilst others have simply imagined a different world around Volcanos or High Tech multimedia.
To help you make the best decision, we have compiled below a list of 15 of the best theme parks France has to offer. Enjoy!
1. Disneyland Paris
Yes, you probably know this one as it is pretty famous, and it has a bigger sibling in Florida in the USA. This one, however, is located in Paris, or rather to the east side of the main city.
It is one of Walt Disney’s theme parks and exhibits all the characters from the Disney franchise. The most famous character is Micky Mouse, who is there for the kids to see (well, at least there is a person dressed in a Mickey costume).
There are rides, adventures, and shows for all the family to enjoy.
📍Boulevard de Parc, 77700 Coupvray, France
2. Puy du Fou
This is not a theme park per se; it does not offer rides or amusements; what it does offer, though, is the spectacle. What this means is huge, grand shows in traditional dress, such as gladiators dressed in roman clothes, horses, and carriages, all set in a roman Coliseum type amphitheater.
There are shows based on the Renaissance times or medieval times.
It is a place where the past is bought to life.
This park is close to Nantes on the western side of France.
3. Futuroscope
There is a reason it has this name, and the futuristic buildings are just one. It has thrilling rides, fantastic story-based attractions, and some fabulous presentations too.
Futuroscope takes you on a journey into the unknown and gives you some truly unique experiences.
If you want to chase a tornado, you can, or if you feel like visiting Mars, you can, and much more.
If this sounds like somewhere you and the family would like to go, then Futuroscope is located near Poitiers in western France.
📍Avenue René Monory, 86360 Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, France
4. Parc Asterix
Park Astérix takes its inspiration from the children’s Astérix comic books and subsequent TV shows and is themed as such. It is the second most popular theme park in France, after Disneyland.
Park Astérix is great for all the family, and there are plenty of rides, such as wild roller coasters and rides designed for a younger audience.
There are also a lot of great shows like magic and illusions. Park Astérix is only 20 miles north of Paris.
📍Parc Astérix, 60128 Plailly, France
5. Vulcania
The clue to the theme of this one is stated in the name. It is a theme park that is based around volcanoes. It is a place to go to learn about volcanos as well as have a lot of fun.
There are giant screens to see and learn more about volcanos; there are rides where you sit in a vehicle and slide down a lava flow and discover more about this phenomenon.
There are also dragon rides; you can discover more about deep-sea volcanos and all about volcanos in the solar system too.
Vulcania is located in central France, close to the city of Clermont-Ferrand.
📍Route de Mazayes, 63230 Saint-Ours, France
6. Terra Botanica
This theme park is based around the adventure of plants. There are magical shows; you can travel down the Loire river in a boat and witness some beautiful gardens; there are rides, one where your carriage is a nutshell motored by pedal power, so you can stop and look about whenever and wherever you like.
You can travel in a balloon 150 meters high and witness the beauty of Terra Botanica. If you are interested in plants and enjoy gardens, then this is the adventure for you.
It is situated just north of the town of Angers in the northwest of France.
📍Route d’Épinard, 49000 Angers, France
7. France Miniature
This is a fantastic model country where you can see all of France’s most iconic landmarks on the same day if you want. There are even miniature trains, boats, and cars, which all move to give that more realistic feel.
The theme park also has several rides for the children, and there are some fabulous interactive experiences, such as Fort Boyard, where you take part in a challenge filled with riddles and other challenges.
This theme park is located just to the west of Paris.
📍Boulevard André Malraux, 78990 Élancourt, France
8. Marineland
Marineland is a place that shows off the water world of the seas and some of the strange and exotic creatures that live there. It boasts the largest marine world in the whole of Europe, so you are bound to get a lot for your money.
You see sharks, turtles, and a lot more. You are also able to have some up close, and personal animal encounters with friendly dolphins, killer whales, and sea lions.
This theme park also puts on some great shows for you to enjoy, but remember those waterproof.
If you fancy seeing some of the largest fish tanks in Europe, then Marineland is located just south of Nice.
📍306 Avenue Mozart, 06600 Antibes, France
9. Parc Spirou
This is a park based on the theme of Spirou, which was a popular comic first published in 1938. The park shares some of its themes with Astérix.
The park is aimed at people of all ages and can capture some of that nostalgia from people’s childhoods mixed with all the fun of the park itself for the younger generations.
There are many characters from the comic book series brought to life. The park is filled with thrilling rides, kid’s rides, and simulators, among other things.
If this sounds like it interests you, then you can find it located just north of Avignon.
📍1 Rue Jean-Henri Fabre, 84170 Monteux, France
10. Le Pal
If you like zoos meshed with amusements and rides, then Le Pal could be the place you are looking for. There are plenty of animal attractions like lions, tigers, wolves, and chimps.
You also have a choice of roller coasters too, as well as a log flume and a ride in a safari jeep. You even have a 3D cinema to enjoy.
2023 sees the 50th birthday of this unique park, so expect a lot of activities to celebrate the golden anniversary.
Le Pal is located in central France, approximately a two-hour drive northwest of Lyon.
📍Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre, 03290 Dompierre-sur-Besbre, France
11. Nigloland
Nigloland is a theme park of four worlds with thrilling rides, rides for the family, and ones for younger children too. There are also some fabulous shows for everyone to enjoy.
The park has the tallest rotating free-fall ride in the world, cranking you up to 100 meters just to drop you back down again, which goes by the name of Donjon de l’Extrême.
The Alpina Blitz is another ride for thrill seekers; it is a roller coaster with a 33-meter drop with a speed of 100kph.
Nigloland is located in Dolancourt, around 200 km southeast of Paris.
📍27 Rue de la Vallée du Landion, 10200 Dolancourt, France
12. La Mer de Sable – The Sand Sea
This theme park is set in the sand, where you go on an adventure to three different sand worlds. You have the Desert of New Mexico in a vast sand dune, the Colorado Canyon where you are in cowboy land, and to top it off, you have the Mississippi Valley.
You will find plenty of rides, adventures, and even great shows. There is an open-air stage with acrobatics and a lot more.
This year, the theme park celebrates its 60th anniversary, so one more reason to discover this attraction park on your next holiday in France.
This is another park close to the capital Paris, with its location just northeast of the city.
📍N330, 60950 Ermenonville, France
13. OK Corral
If you like the western theme, then OK Corral is something you may enjoy. It lets you into the fantasy of the cowboy’s and Indian’s world with a lot of thrill rides and shows for you to choose from.
You can ride a gold mine cart or ride the Hopi snake right to the heart of the Arizona desert. You can also ride the rapids through the Rocky Mountains.
Ok Corral is located near Marseille in the Provence region.
📍Route départementale 8, 13780 Cuges-les-Pins, France
14. Walibi Rhone Alpes
This park has three themed areas. You can go on an explorer adventure and ride a monorail, or you can go to the festival city of New Orleans and party and experience the mysteries and wonder of voodoo.
There is also the exotic Island where you are surrounded by a green wonderland.
This park is filled with rides for all events and boutiques.
If this park takes your fancy, then it is situated an hour’s drive southeast of Lyon.
📍1380 Route de la Corneille, 38630 Les Avenières Veyrins-Thuellin, France
15. Parc Saint Paul
This is a Funland adventure that you all can enjoy. There are 42 attractions to choose from, including rides for all and a lot of amusements for a younger audience, such as Les Tractorigolos, Les Pédalos Cygnes, and Les Bateaux Bully.
There is also a petting zoo with some goats and other animals for you and the children. L’Aqua Splash is a space where you can have a little fun on a hot day if you are brave enough.
If Parc Saint Paul sounds like the kind of adventure you and the children need, then it is located north of Paris, around a 100kms or an hour and a half drive away.
📍47 Rue de l’Avelon, 60650 Saint-Paul, France
Map of the Best Theme Parks in France
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CONCLUSION
That’s it! I hope you have found this guide interesting to plan your next trip to France and maybe find some time to visit one or two theme parks with your children.
France didn’t wait for Disney to come to the country in 1992 to offer theme parks for its citizens and visitors. For instance La Mer de Sable has been welcoming families for 60 years now, so probably at least 3 generations went to this attraction nearby Paris.
The question is which one of these theme parks in France is your favourite?
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