Magical days out at theme parks in Northern France

Family activity holidays in France are a fantastic opportunity to relax and reconnect with your family while giving the kids a treat and making them happy. Among the array of brilliant theme parks in Northern France, there’s something to suit all families, whether you’ve travelling with young kids and want gentle attractions such as classic merry-go-rounds or with teens looking for the adrenaline rush that world-class rollercoasters bring. 

 

One of the biggest theme parks in France, Astérix theme Park – located 45 minutes north of Paris just off the A1 – has a cultural, even educational angle. Historically themed, it was inspired by the famous René Goscinny comic strips about the rivalry between the ancient Gauls and Romans but also features zones themed around the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. From gentle rides for tots, a 4D cinema and an Arena staging mock battles, to the gasp-inducing coaster OzIris, there’s something to please all the family. Three themed on-site hotels let you stay the night and make a mini-break of it. Read more

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the heart of the countryside on the site of an old water mill yet only 50 minutes from Calais and within easy reach of the A26, this gem of an amusement park is especially popular among those with younger kids, for its frog-themed merry-go-round and other tots’ attractions and its family rides including the Tramway Fou (Crazy Tram). But there are also several draws for those who like their rides to come with an adrenaline buzz, including the Vigie drop-tower and the Nitro roller-coaster. Read more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From petting mini goats in La Barbichette to hitting the dance-f

loor in Les Teen’s Party, there’s something to get everyone excited at Parc St Paul just west of Beauvais and 90 minutes northwest of Paris via the A16. Other highlights are Le Dino Splash log flume, lake trips aboard the Bateau Mississippi and the chance to race your family on the 10-lane Tobogliss slide. For those who like speed or drops, there’s the Wood Express and Formule1 coasters and the Tour Descente Extrême drop-tower. Read more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just over an hour from Calais on the Côte d’Opale south of Le Touquet, Parc Bagatelle pleases ani-mal-loving tots and thrill-seeking teens alike. The former flock to the Ferme des Petits to pet the animals, and to Baggy Land with its gentle rides and attractions ranging from a ball pool to a coast-er. Older kids and adults can be found on rides such as Le Triops with its loop-the-loops, Le Raft and Le Rapido slide. Read more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Within a 450-hectare forest an hour from Calais just off the A26, this wonderful leisure park offers an array of outdoor and indoor activities and entertainment. Highlights are the hot-air balloon rides, treetop adventure course, suspended nets, mountain-biking, mini-golf, orienteering, archery, climb-ing wall and Enchanted Village playground. Walking paths continue the escape into nature, as do various sports and picnic areas. Come in high summer and there’s an open-air swimming pool. Read more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also in the midst of glorious nature on the edge of a forest just an hour north of Paris not far from the A1, this park for all ages offers attractions and immersive experiences across three worlds – Aux Temps des Pionniers (the Wild West), La Jungle and a Mexican land. This means you learn about world history as you fly through time aboard El Condor to the time of the Aztecs and flap like a parakeet through the Jungle of the Chipakas, for instance. Fabulous shows including choreographed Wild West horseback stunts. Read more