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onjour!
This month, we have chosen to dedicate a first newsletter to the little known
region of Vendée, in western France. One cannot talk about this area without
first mentioning one of the most beautiful and famous shows in France, along
with its theme park, “Le Puy du Fou”. This came into being as a result of a
wild bet by men and women who were passionate about Vendée and wanted to share
their love for both the region and its history. With this goal in mind, they
recreated worlds and eras that we thought were forever long gone. These past
times now coexist for the enjoyment of visitors who get to live a fabulous
adventure, fraught with great thrills and emotions. The “Puy du Fou” is located
in Vendée, 250 miles southwest of Paris, and about 60 miles from Nantes. It
offers you a unique experience and a fantastic trip through 2,000 years of history.
But before continuing, please remember that you can access and read all the newsletters already
published at http://www.francemonthly.com/
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Re-living the 3rd Century: The “Gladiators”
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In the 3rd century, France was called Gaul. Romans successfully invaded this
region, giving birth to the very rich and creative Gallo-Roman culture. The
“Puy du Fou” enables you to re-live a scene from the festive lives of this
time in a magnificent Roman stadium, 377 ft long by 246 ft wide, that covers
more than 2,500 sq. ft.
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The Gladiators at the Puy du Fou
(Click photo to enlarge)
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Spectators are immediately plunged into the ambiance of Roman Gaul, as the
centurion Damian, who dared to oppose the Emperor and useless violence, has
to successfully pass all the game events to save his own life. First, he must
confront the best gladiators of the Roman Empire in a merciless combat. Then,
the second trial is to win a chariot race. The chariots drawn by 4 horses dash
into a mad contest, nothing less than a recreation before your eyes of the
famous Ben Hur race. Finally, he has to fight lions and tigers let loose in
the arena. A total of 45 horses, 8 big cats, and 80 characters are the actors
of this breathtakingly realistic spectacle. Then, it is the turn of the
spectators to become actors themselves, as they have the last word! It is
all grand entertainment.
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In the 10th Century: The “Vikings”
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This scene takes place at the beginning of the Middle-Ages, in a quiet little
hamlet where Aldéric and Cybèle are celebrating their wedding. Suddenly, the
festivities are dramatically interrupted by the hasty arrival of the monks of
Noirmoutier. They are fleeing the Viking invader to safeguard the relics of
“St Philibert”, one of their founding members. This is when the barbarians
come up the rivers in their drakkars, or Viking ships, and attack the village
with extreme brutality. One drakkar emerges from the bottom of a moat of the fort,
another one pierces the palisades destroying everything in its wake, a giant
fireball comes crashing down into the village and sets it ablaze in a few seconds,
and the 5.5 ton bell tower collapses on the ground. The direction is absolutely
amazing as every last detail has been carefully worked out in grand fashion. The
public is subjected to moments of intense images and feelings. In the midst of
this carnage, everything seems lost until an eerie event takes place...
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Recipe for March 2006
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Chocolate Profiteroles
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"The Bal of the Ghostly Birds" and "The Donjon Battle"
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At the time of the Crusades, eagles, falcons, and vultures in the “Puy du Fou”
criss-crossed the skies, grazing the public and gracefully plunging into the
arms of the falconers. Music and choreography are now scripted around a legend
where the main artists are birds of prey: What a beautiful sight! In another
village, it is another time, 1429, where a celebration is organized in honor
of Isabeau du Puy du Fou.
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The Battle of the Castle
(Click photo to enlarge)
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The castle becomes the setting of a ferocious battle between French and English.
Giant war machines, combatants on horseback and a steady stream of special effects
immerse you directly in the terrible Hundred Years War, told through tournaments
of knights. There are four extraordinarily realistic representations in all, each
lasting about 30 minutes. No matter which era you choose, you are directly made
part of the action, either because you are invited to participate, or because
the set is such that you find yourself right in the middle of the action in
spite of yourself. You don’t just visit such a park, you experience a fantastic
travel through time, a one of a kind event.
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Full-scale Villages
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Once you have recovered from such an emotion-packed production, why not share
the everyday life of the inhabitants of Vendée, from Antiquity to present time.
Whether it be the replica of the Roman Coliseum, the 72 ft high donjon and the
hamlet of the year 1000, or the Medieval City, you will find no jerry-built
construction here,
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The Village at the Puy du Fou
(Click photo to enlarge)
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no trompe-l'oeil or make-believe sets, only full-scale fully reconstructed sites.
The authenticity of the buildings is such that each stone seems to have been there
for centuries. Come walk into the house of the weaver or the edge-tool maker who
is preparing his knives and tools. Visit the workshops of the various craftsmen
and merchants (glassmaker, sculptor, or herbalist) who will allow you to acquaint
yourself with long lost know-how. Come stroll through the French village of the
18th century where all the architectural elements, from the potter’s oven to the
forge, from the mill to the wash house, have been faithfully replicated. Finally,
continue your escapade in the past by walking along the small streets of the 1900
market town. You will find the stalls, the “Eiffel” market hall, the bistrot, and
all its automatons from “La Belle Epoque”. Finally, should you have a pang of hunger,
you can try traditional dishes associated with the time period you choose to visit.
The travel back in time is extended down to its most minute details, even culinary ones!
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The « Puy du Fou » Forest
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The “Grand Parc du Puy du Fou” is also a forest of 100 acres. Nature greets the
visitor all along his journey back in time. More than 1,000 animals live in this
forest, whether they be farm animals, exotic animals or wild animals.
You can come across black pigs, moorhens, dwarf goats, wolves and deer.
The vegetation is omnipresent, with the diversity of undisturbed nature and
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The Beautiful Gardens at the Puy du Fou
(Click photo to enlarge)
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areas landscaped to varying degrees. The “Grand Parc” also harbors an exceptional
collection of trees and vegetation, more than 250 different kinds of plants,
5000 rose roots that include 95 different varieties, among them the “Puy du Fou” Rose.
Such a pleasant discovery will delight nature lovers and ordinary walkers alike.
There are also countless recreational activities, games, and programs to entertain
children. It is truly a magnificent park where visitors of all ages can spend quite
an exceptional day. To fully understand the “Puy du Fou”, do remember that it is a
non-profit park. The revenue it generates through the sale of admission tickets goes
entirely to the maintenance and upgrades of the entire site.
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« La Cinéscénie », a Labor of Love |
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No need to look up this word in the dictionary, you won’t find it there. It was made up
by the men and women who were so passionate about the history of their region that they
wanted to bring the past back to life in order to share it with everyone. The adventure
began, and their imagination and tenacity paid off. They were able to collect on a bet
that was a bit zany: to build the largest theater stage in the world out of the ruins
of a castle lost in the middle of 57 acres of hedged farmland, a stage on which would
be told the saga of the people of Vendée. The original association counted 600 enthusiastic
members, while today there are more than 3,000 volunteers who pursue this same dream.
They may be volunteers, but they are nonetheless real professionals who have worked out
every last detail. This distinctive dramatic musical opus requires unusual technical
innovations, 1,100 actors, more than 4,600 costumes, 3,000 digitally operated projectors,
2,500 computerized fountains, floating sets, aquatic flames, movie quality sound, and
spectacular special effects. The result of all this is a sweeping historical production
without equal, part historical epic, part opera, and part choreography. A Must See!
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A Deeply Moving Historical Epic
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The framework is the story of the Maupillier family, seen as symbolic figures
of the people of Vendée. The year is 1916, and all the action centers on the
dialogue between Jacques Maupillier and an old peddler who represents the memory
of all the people of Vendée. This traveler tells the young Jacques the story of
his ancestors.
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Finale of The Night Show at Puy du Fou
(Click photo to enlarge)
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From the Middle-ages to World War II, the old man strips off the layers of time,
and every century that he uncovers reveals unexpected sets, and calls in thousands
of new characters. This goes on for a couple of hours, conjuring intense feelings
in spectators introduced to 700 years of history of the Vendée region put to images.
This simply enchanting giant epic is unparalleled in the world. The founder of the
project, Philippe de Villiers, describes it as such: "You enter the “Puy du Fou”
like you embark on an unusual adventure... An adventure that is at once artistic,
cultural, and spiritual. The perfect harmony between a people and its history."
To understand the “Puy du Fou” is to understand the passion that drives the French.
For more than 1,000 years, they have been building cathedrals, castles, beautiful
villages without ever a thought of a financial return on their work. It is just
pure and selfless passion that spurs them on.
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An Invitation to Travel |
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We’ve taken a slightly different approach this month since, for the first time
since we started writing this newsletter, we have focused on one single point
of interest in a beautiful region, and a large part of its content has been
provided to us by the creators and the marketing office of this non-profit
theme park. We would like to extend to them our heart-felt gratitude for their
kindness, and we highly recommend that you spend a full day at the “Puy du Fou”,
after perhaps having visited the Loire Valley castles, or southern Brittany. Beware
though, even though the park itself opens its doors early May, at 10 am every day,
the “cinéscénie” only takes place on Friday and Saturday nights, from June until
September, at nightfall or around 10 pm. About 28 performances are organized every
summer. It is therefore an absolute must to make reservations ahead of time, as every single
performance of this show has been sold out for the past 25 years! Do not forget to bring a warm
piece of clothing with you to comfortably enjoy this magnificent spectacle. For more
information, please go to http://www.puydufou.com/uk/. In an upcoming newsletter, we
will once more evoke the extraordinary saga of the people of the Vendée region and
talk of other not-to-be-missed points of tourist interest. It’s a deal!
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