Cinéscénie – a world class record breaking show at Puy du Four

Next to the world famous, multi-award winning Puy du Fou historic theme park in Les Epesses, in the Vendée, in the heart of the Pays de la loire, Cinoscenie takes place on a Friday and Saturday night when it gets dark.

It is an event. A marvellous, monumental and mesmerising theatrical extravaganza.

The biggest night-time show in the world

Cinoscenie is the world’s biggest night-time show. A stunning and stupendous show. In fact to call it show does it no justice. It is …

At Puy du Fou, 4,200 volunteers, known as Puyfolais, take part. Some of them have taken part for 43 years, since the whole thing began. Cinoscenie involves 12000 actors and thousands of costumes. Herds of animals. 800 fireworks. Drones. Music, dancing and special effects galore. And it all takes place on a 23 hectare stage (the equivalent to 23 full size football pitches!). It’s impossible to take it all in. It’s just so monumental. The story follows the destiny of a family from the Middle Ages to the Second World War. And it all takes place on the world’s biggest stage.

If you love spectacular and flamboyant shows, dancing, singing and all-round breath-taking performances – then this world class, record breaking, incredible show is for you. As darkness falls, and people make their way to the grand arena where the show takes place, you start to feel the atmosphere change. There’s excitement in the air. The show doesn’t start until it’s completely dark. In the summer months this can mean after 10pm. So, take a coat or blanket with you, especially for the little ones as even on hot sunny days, it can be cooler at night.

In an enormous amphitheatre, the tension builds. Then the show starts and I promise you, you won’t know which way to look because there is just so much going on. Awesome 3D video effects bring a tale spanning seven centuries to life. Amazing is a word that’s often overused – but in this case, it doesn’t even come close to describing the one and a half hour spectacle.

It’s great for the whole family.

History of Puy de Fou

Incredibly Puy du Fou was born in 1977 when a local, Philippe de Villiers staged a show to raise funds to restore the local castle. The show featured some of the villagers and was well received by the locals. So he did it again the next year. And from these humble beginnings the project just grew and grew.

The park has won a multitude of awards including Best Theme Park in the World. It’s also been voted Best Amusement Park in France and in Europe by TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice. And it’s won a host of best show in the world awards for several of its individual shows and interactive shows.

Now there are 600 young Puyfolais volunteers being trained in one of 30 disciplines. At Puy du Fou’s Académie Junior, students study costume, horse riding, film creation, animal training and much more. And Puy du Fou’s own primary school was launched in 2015, in tandem with state education (160 pupils 2020).

Puy du Fou España welcomed 72,000 guests to its first Spanish creation, ‘El Sueño de Toledo’, the biggest show in Spain, in 2019.

In China, the country’s first ‘Puy du Fou’ is scheduled to open at the foot of the Great Wall in 2022.