The "Cinéscénie®" at Puy du Fou®
Le Puy du Fou ( from the name of the place which translates as "the hill of the beech", from puy and fagus) is a historical theme park en Les Epesses (between Cholet and La Roche-sur-Yon) in the heart of the Vendée region of Western France? The park brings in some 1.5 million visitors every year, making it the fourth most popular attraction in France after DisneyLand Paris.
The main show takes place in the evening on a huge outdoor stage behind the ruined castle. It tells the story of the 700 years of history in the area. The Cinéscénie boasts the largest stage in the world, thousands of actors, hundreds of horses and about 400 fireworks per performance. All of the dialog is in French BUT English and Dutch dialog is provided via headphones. All of the actors and actresses (even the children) come from the local villages and are volunteers. The Cinéscénie is only peak season - Starts 7 June in 2008 and not every day. It is bookable separately and has a separate entrance. All the tourist info centres sell tickets for the same price in advance.