Parc Asterix

Parc Asterix opened in 1989, two years before Disneyland Paris, built around Goscinny and Uderzo's comic about a Gaulish village holding out against Rome, and it has stayed distinctly French in a market Disney otherwise dominates. The park is laid out in themed zones running through history: the Gaulish village, the Roman empire, Greece, the Vikings, and a street covering centuries of Paris. Its reputation rests on the roller coasters, several of which are among the more intense in Europe, including a wooden coaster and a launched multi-inversion ride. Dolphin shows ended in 2023 after criticism.

What you actually see

• The Gaulish village - the comic's setting built at scale.
• The historical zones - Roman, Greek, Viking and Parisian themed areas.
• The coasters - several rides among Europe's more intense.
• The comic characters - Asterix and Obelix through the park.

When to go

April to October, with the park closed for much of the winter apart from a Christmas season. Weekdays outside French school holidays have the shortest queues.

Honest expectations

Queues in French school holidays are very long. The park closes for months in winter. Familiarity with the comic adds a lot; without it the theming means less. Access without a car means a shuttle bus.

Nearby

Chantilly lies northwest; Paris is south.