Le Puy du Fou is one of the biggest theme parks in France, with more than two million people visiting it each year. Now, there are plans in place for a new location in the UK. The French entertainment company has already submitted an outline planning application for a new immersive historical park in Cherwell near Bicester.
This is an exciting project, and if it comes to fruition, it will add another major draw to Oxfordshire aside from its architecture and shopping opportunities.
Puy du Fou Could Bring a Different Type of Attraction to Oxfordshire
If you’ve never been to Puy du Fou in France, you may need to adjust your expectations before the new site is built in Oxfordshire. This isn’t your typical theme park with rollercoasters and thrill rides. Instead, it’s known for its large-scale historical shows, immersive sets, and live theatrical storytelling.
If the Oxfordshire park goes ahead, it could give the county something distinct from its existing tourism offer. Instead of only attracting people who want to enjoy quaint countryside and historical architecture, it could bring in other demographics who seek real-world entertainment.
The numbers around the new project are astonishing and highlight how lucrative it could be. According to the latest reports, it’s set to be a £600 million attraction with four period villages, 13 live shows, three hotels, and the potential to attract around 1.47 million visitors a year once it’s fully developed. With it being such an ambitious project, the construction is planned in stages, potentially beginning in 2029.
Real-World Entertainment Is Becoming More Immersive
Entertainment companies are clearly seeking ways to make real-world entertainment more immersive, and Puy du Fou is a prime example of that. These settings have to compete with the booming online entertainment industry now, where people can easily get lost in fantasy worlds through films, series and games. With many younger generations growing up with this type of content, physical attractions need to mirror it.
Looking at today’s entertainment market, there’s clearly a widespread interest in both fantasy and historical offerings, which is what Puy du Fou aims to offer. On television, series like Game of Thrones and Vikings have been among the most popular titles in recent years. Likewise, in the online jackpot games market, series like Age of the Gods blend elements of fantasy and mythology. There are various titles to choose from in the series too, highlighting how there’s a huge audience for this type of content.
Bicester Could Become More Than a Shopping Destination
As it stands, Bicester is best known as a place for retail tourism, with various high-end shops in the town. A lot of the visitors to the region are those in search of luxury shopping, but this new park could allow Bicester to attract a much more diverse range of people.
That’s important for sustainable tourism, as places need to be able to offer more than one reason for people to visit. Who knows, in the future, there may not be as much of a market for luxury travel, so Bicester needs to add other strings to its bow.
There’s no doubt that the news of this new park is great for Oxfordshire, as it will provide yet another reason for people to travel to the county. Indeed, if all goes to plan, it will bring in more than one million visitors every year.
