Life is a roller coaster

Celebrating history, science, botany and with some hairraising rides, France’s theme parks are great for families, thrill seekers and those with a holiday business who want to attract guests, as Brigitte Nicolas finds

- Brigitte Nicolas

When regular trips to France finally turn into a permanent relocation it is very often a holiday business that offers ex-pats a good income. In this case, it can be important to find a location with enough attractions, such as a theme park, to draw in potential guests and customers. In France, theme parks are not all about rollercoasters, although these are very much available for those that want them. Instead, these parks will create an experience, they will take their ‘theme’ and make it larger than life and allow visitors to step into a cleverly curated world. Even if you are not looking to have a business yourself, these parks can offer wonderful days out, helping you keep up the holiday-in-France feeling even after the country becomes home.

FUTUROSCOPE, VIENNE

With an impressive mix of history and forward-thinking, Poitiers in Vienne has a broad appeal for families, students, and property buyers.

Opening its first rollercoaster ‘Objectif Mars’ this year – which is set up as a space training center for budding astronauts and features a solar flare effect – Futuroscope uses technology and multimedia to create mind-blowing experiences and is one of France’s biggest theme parks. Thrill-seekers and ravers will enjoy a turn on Danse Avec Les Robots, where a robot arm moves a seat through the air to the music of French DJ Martin Solveig. Meanwhile, the award-winning L'Extraordinaire Voyage ride takes a trip around the world in the footsteps of Phileas Fogg by tilting the audience up and down in front of a curved cinema screen.

The futuristic park has its own TER train station from which it is only an eight-minute journey to the heritage-filled university city of Poitiers, one of France’s Villes d’art et d’histoire.