Puy du Fou steps up its international development with the opening of a new 30-hectare world on the outskirts of Toledo.
With 43 years’ experience in bringing legends to life in a unique, universally-acclaimed creative model, Puy du Fou is stepping up its international development with the opening of Puy du Fou España where visitors can travel back in time through the history of Spain. A total of €183 million has been invested to date, with a projected investment of €242 million by 2028, enabling the creation of 687 direct jobs and 2000 indirect jobs.
From the Vendée to the Mountains of Toledo
In 2019, Puy du Fou chose Toledo for the revival of some of the greatest moments in Spain’s history, due to its location just 40 minutes from Madrid (6m. population) and on the doorstep of one of Spain’s main tourist destinations. Toledo attracts 3.5m. visitors annually.
Since then, over 120,000 visitors have watched ‘El Sueño de Toledo’, Puy du Fou’s grand-scale night-time production which brings to life 1500 years of Spanish history. The show has paved the way for the main Park, which features four thrill-packed daytime shows*¹ and four period villages*², with craftsmen, artisan workshops and restaurants representing different eras of Spanish history.
Puy du Fou continues to place training and development at the heart of its work. Puy du Fou España is the result of 43 years of experience, reinforced by the foundation, 23 years ago, of the Junior Academy. The Academy trains its students in 30 different creative and technical performance-related disciplines. Inspired by the values instilled by 4,300 Puyfolais, the opening of Puy du Fou España represents a tremendous opportunity for career development for 3,087 French and Spanish employees across 200 professions, including creative fields, visitor reception, animal care and welfare, security and catering.
New features for 2021
‘Le Monde Imaginaire de La Fontaine’, first developed in 2012, celebrates 400 years since the birth of the French fabulist and poet, Jean de La Fontaine. The revamped immersive experience now extends across a leafy 7500m² garden where actors and animals bring the most famous of the fables to life.
The Villa Gallo-Romaine, the first of Puy du Fou’s on-site hotels (2007), transports its guests back to the world of ancient Rome. The hotel’s 100 family rooms have been completely refurbished and its 3,300m² interior courtyard redesigned by Puy du Fou’s gardeners.
Epique Studio is a new audio-visual on-site production centre. The Studio provides the screen world with a 500 hectare site, with the full range of Puy du Fou sets and services. The expertise and skills of costume and set designers, fencing masters, dancers, stuntmen, riders, falconers, and sound and light technical teams, in addition to a recording and post-production studio, will be available for use by filmmakers and film crews.
Puy du Fou France in 2020: Three new productions, three awards
2020 was a record year for investment for Puy du Fou in France, with €62million dedicated to three new productions. All three were distinguished with prestigious international awards at the Park World Excellence Awards in London: ‘Best Show of the Year’ and ‘Best Technical Innovation’ for the new night-time show ‘Les Noces de Feu’; and ‘Best Use of Theming’ for ‘Le Grand Siècle’ hotel and the ‘Le Théâtre Molierè’ conference centre.
Future ambitions
43 years on, Puy du Fou is continuing its remarkable adventure, breathing life into other cultures, memories, legends and heroes, while remaining true to its original aim of evoking emotion and inspiring. Currently in France, the Netherlands and Spain, this unique artistic model has the potential to be rolled out worldwide. Following on from France and Spain, Puy du Fou has a target of opening at least two other parks by 2030 and of maximising its core business: the narration of stories in an innovative and original way within the framework of a country’s individual legends and culture.
