The Puy du Fou, at Les Épesses in the Vendée, is one of France’s best-known show parks, devoted to history and legend. Created in the late 1970s with the Cinéscénie, a grand night-time show performed by hundreds of volunteers, then expanded in 1989 with the day park, it offers many outdoor shows and recreations of villages and eras.
Between shows of knights, birds in flight, gladiators or Vikings, you spend an immersive day, with themed restaurants and on-site accommodation to extend the experience. The Cinéscénie, held in the evening, is one of the great moments of the season in the Vendée.
The Puy du Fou suits a family or friends’ outing, as a complement to a stay on the Vendée coast, less than an hour and a half from La Rochelle or Les Sables-d’Olonne. Booking ahead is recommended, especially during school holidays and summer weekends.