Westworld meets Game of

Westworld meets Game of ThronesIt ain’t Disney that’s for sure I think to myselfas I walk through the gates of Puy du Fou...You know that bit when the palaeontologistssee the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park for thefirst time? Well I now know how they feltafter my visit to this extraordinary themepark. It’s a sort of Westworld meets Game ofThrones with a dash of magic show:Interactive, extravagant, lavish,extraordinary. All my life I’ve loved history –the Romans, the Vikings, the days of LouisXIV, the Belle Epoque. And Puy du Foubrings history to life in all these time warps -and more.It’s definitely not just for kids though kidslove it – it’s just as much for adults, in factpossibly even more so. Don’t expect rides,apart from a carousel for kids, there arenone. These are shows, and they are on anepic scale. Some shows are interactive, someare audience based. All are incredible – aword that’s probably over used, but in thiscase, totally justified. More than 2,500 actorsand more than 1,500 animals are involved.There is nowhere quite like it anywhere inthe world.I had just two nights and one whole day tosee as much as possible but I’d recommendtwo days as it’s impossible to do it all in aday. I narrowed it down to the shows I felt Icouldn't miss – the Triumphal March of theRomans was number one for me, but Istarted my visit with the new-for-2020 showLes Noces de Feu – The Marriage of Fire.

Noces de Feu – Puy du FouHow to describe this show? It’s not easy.Fantasy, fairy tales and fire…As night falls, visitors flock to the take theirseats on benches that run around a big lake.This was my first show at Puy du Fou andwhat an introduction it was. As a hotelguest, I had an “Emotion Pass” which fasttracks you into shows. It’s all in French butyou can download an app on your mobilephone, stick your earphones in (take yourown) and hear it in English. I didn’t listenmuch at all, it was so spellbinding I simplywatched in awe and enjoyed the wonderfulmusic.spouting fire, a floating apparition that madethe crowd gasp in surprise. I’ve never seenanything like it in my life.I asked one of the staff afterwards – how onearth does this work? She wouldn’t tell me,it’s a closely guarded secret. Part illusion,part technical: 100% magic.Part illusion, part technical: 100%magicIt’s a wedding ceremony water show whichinvolves ballet performed on the surface of alake, music, a life sized golden coach whichemerges from the water pulled by giantswans, a grand piano which rises up fromthe lake, complete with pianist. A floatingviolinist, diving footmen, a giant organ