Puy du Fou: France's controversial historical theme park surpasses 3 million visitors in 2025

Puy du Fou, a historical theme park in Vendée, France, founded in 1977 by Philippe de Villiers, has surpassed 3 million visitors in 2025, becoming the second most popular theme park in France after Disneyland Paris. The park has faced persistent criticism for allegedly promoting a reactionary, pro-monarchy, and revisionist view of French history. In January 2023, a deputy François Ruffin proposed creating a left-wing Puy du Fou. Philippe de Villiers, a former ENA graduate, deputy, and MEP from 1987 to 2014, ran for president twice (1995, 2007) on far-right positions. The park now features about 20 shows, employs over 4,000 volunteers, and generates around €200 million in revenue. Under his son Nicolas de Villiers, Puy du Fou has expanded internationally, opening a park in Toledo, Spain, and planning a 2029 opening in Bicester, Oxfordshire, with a £700 million investment. In 2023, the park produced its first feature film, "Vaincre ou mourir," directed by Paul Mignot and Vincent Mottez, which grossed only €300,000 against a €5 million budget. Rumors of parks in Tuscany and Pavia have circulated, and a Basilicata regional councilor recently proposed a similar identity-themed park in the Basento Valley.