Parc Asterix!!!

Obelix!!!

I haven't said my last word after all when it came to amusement parks for 2011. Brought MIL and the kids to Parc Asterix (north of Paris near the airport) when we were last back in France. We prefer it to Disney as we find the queues shorter, the rides more interesting/exciting and the main characters more "intelligent". Asterix is also Franco-Belge humour so it sits better with us.

I have been an Asterix fan for a long time, have read almost every comic book that the Goscinny/Uderzo team had written. "The series follows the exploits of a village of indomitable Gauls as they resist Roman occupation. They do so by means of a magic potion, brewed by their druid, which gives the recipient superhuman strength. The protagonist, the titular character Asterix, along with his friend Obelix have various adventures..."

If you are taking public transportation to join the park, do so from the CDG airport. There is a bus that brings you to the theme park and the RATP sells combined RER-shuttle bus-theme park tickets for a better price than if you had taken them separately. If you were driving parking at Parc Asterix currently costs 8 euros per vehicle.

Entry tickets are not cheap though. It's low season now but each adult ticket still costs 40 euros and child tickets go at 30 euros each. The park only opens on weekends during autumn so check out the calendar before turning up. All performances are in French and one of the dolphins has given birth last summer so they changed their programme and offered only a quiet 20-minute talk about the mammals during showtime.

Demo of what their dolphins can do if they feel like doing so

Stunt show involving "Roman Legion recruits"

Baby Girl with a Roman soldier

It's still a good park to visit if you get the chance. We particularly like the Menhir Express and La Galère (pirate boat) rides and there are also a few big roller coasters. I didn't get to do any this time because the Teenager couldn't stomach them and the Babies are still not tall enough.