Parc Asterix is one of those little wonders that you’d probably not heard about unless you know someone that knows someone…
Dotted on the outskirts of Paris in the region of Chantilly, it’s a French theme park and resort that has been welcoming families from across Europe for over thirty years. Perhaps overshadowed by the charmed delights of Disney, it’s not overly popular with British, but we think that’s why it holds so much magic and for those in the know, it provides a very special experience.
Themed on the famous cartoon character, Asterix and the Gauls, from the comic books of the same name, the park is charmingly designed inviting guests to experience a modern-day Roman empire. It doesn’t matter if you or your children aren’t familiar with the books (they date back to the ‘50s up to present day), the Roman-style décor is unique and makes for a great fun world of wonder.
Accommodation
Park Asterix is accompanied by three onsite hotels – Les Quaid de Lutece, Les Trois Hiboux and La Cite Suspendue with the latter being the accommodation for our stay. La Cite Suspendue, or The Hanging City to you and I is an incredible woodland village of distressed-themed lodges spread amongst the wilderness. Each with their own private balcony, the layout for up to families of five, features two separate bedrooms and separate shower and toilet room. Very clean and spacious with all the essentials you need to bed your head after a busy day in the park.
Dining
Dining onsite in the hotel restaurant you will find a premium buffet assortment of hot and cold foods. While hotel dinner buffets, especially those catering to a mix of ages, can be a little hit and miss, the quality of the food was exceptional featuring delectable French meats and cheeses, freshly made pasta sauces, to melt in the mouth wild boar meats. The chefs carefully pair the flavourings and dishes for a premium dining experience. Breakfast is also served here and included with each stay.
If you’re after a true Gallic experience then La Banquet Gaulois is a must! Located in the heart of the theme park in the enchanted forest, it’s a great interactive experience with delicious live food stations, copious Asterix and friends meet and greets and fun entertainment throughout the dining experience that will have you up on your feet!
Snacks, drinks and meals throughout the day can be purchased at any of the many fast-food style vendors throughout the park.
Theme Park
The theme park is nicely spread out across six themed zones, and despite visiting on an August weekend it never felt overly busy.
For on-site guests, there’s an exclusive half hour early access window where you can ride several of the parks top rides ahead of general admission.
The park is a good mix of shows, entertainment and rides with a few play areas and splash pads thrown into the mix. For thrill aficionados, there are plenty of big coasters in the form of our family fave (that has a little surprise in the middle!) – Pegasus Explorer; wooden rollercoaster Tonnerre de Zeus; and inverted rollercoaster that might need you to catch your breath afterwards – Oziris.
For water rides, there are three great ones to note – super soaker log flume Menhir Express, fun river rapids and the more calming L’Oxygenarium
For little ones, the centre of the park, Forest of Idefix, is a neat collection of gentle rides and play zones that have a slower pace.
While the park is over 30 years old, it’s well maintained with a high level of cleanliness and maintenance. New rides are added season after season enhancing the offering with decent quality and variety of rides and attractions featuring the latest technology and innovation resulting in a lot of new and unique rides for new experiences.
One thing to flag is that the park is unobtrusively French, which does add to the charm and atmosphere. Shows, entertainment and signage are all in native language but the staff onsite are generally good English speakers if you’re struggling. I found myself trying to slip into high school French-mode in translating to the children during the 4D cinema but they figured out the story despite the language barrier.
Wait times are reasonable and updated boards provide guidance on expected times. Later in the evening we managed to walk straight on some rides, which is always a bonus! Queue fast passes are available as an extra add on via the companion app in the form of the ‘Filotomatix’, providing the opportunity to enter via an express lane for the majority of big rides so well worth the investment if you’re short on time…or patience!
Travel
The great thing for families from the UK is that it is a super simple journey away. Head across the channel to Dover and it’s the simplest two-hour car journey that spans two straight stretches of motorway. No intersections, islands or junctions meaning even the most anxious of driver will find it easy. This means you can load your car up with everything you need and maybe even pick up a few French delights to bring home. Alternatively, it’s located just 15 minutes from Paris CDG airport or slightly further out from the Paris Eurostar terminal providing lots of accessible options from the UK.
Overall, Park Asterix is a fantastic theme park resort. With its ease of access, excellent range of rides and splendidly French experience, it is definitely top of the list for a repeat visit!
For more information and to book, visit www.parcasterix.fr
