Amusement park and technology park in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou
Population: 4,800 in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou.
Specialities: farci poitevin, PDO Poitou-Charentes butter, chabichou (cheese), tourteau fromager (cake). Nougatine du Poitou. Broyé du Poitou (dry cake). Haut-Poitou melon.
Personalities: René Monory (former mayor of Poitiers and founder of Futuroscope). Jean-Pierre Courcol (former director of the Tour de France and Futuroscope). Albert Ducrocq (scientist and scientific adviser to the park). Denis Laming (site architect).
Economy: Futuroscope, tourism, hotels, technology park, scientific research, University of Poitiers.
Sport: stages of the Tour de France (1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1999, 2000)
Website: www.futuroscope.com
FUTUROSCOPE AND CYCLING
Futuroscope is well known to the women's peloton, having sponsored a professional team from 2006 to 2022. Initially named Vienne-Futuroscope, then Poitou-Charente-Futuroscope 86, it became FDJ's women's structure in 2022. The team, which now includes Demi Vollering, winner of the 2023 Tour Femmes, is now managed by Emmanuelle Merlot, herself a former member of the team and a native of Châtellerault, around twenty kilometres from the park.
The Futuroscope also hosted two stages of the Tour de France for Women in the 1980s, with American Betsy King winning the sprint over Maria Canins in 1986, followed by Germany's Monique Knol a year later.
Once owned by the Amaury group, like the Tour de France Femmes with Zwift, the Futuroscope has always gone down well with the Grande Boucle, which made seven stopovers there between 1986 and 2000. Spaniard Angel José Sarrapio was the first winner in 1986 and David Millar the last in the time trial in 2000, but the futuristic park also hosted a Grand Départ in 1990, when Thierry Marie won the prologue and donned the Yellow Jersey.
The following morning, Frans Maasen won the road stage before Panasonic dominated the team time trial. The morning stage was marked by an incredible breakaway led by Maasen, Steve Bauer, Claudio Chiappucci and Ronan Pensec, who crossed the line ten minutes before the peloton. The Yellow Jersey didn't leave the shoulders of the members of this team (Bauer in yellow for 9 days, Pensec for two days and Chiappucci for eight days) until the day before the finish in Paris, where Greg LeMond finally took it back.
SIGHTS
Futuroscope Park
Description: On 3 July 2020, the Vienne département voted in favour of the biggest development plan in the park's history. Named Vision 2025, this investment plan, worth around €300 million over 10 years, has two components: continued development of the current park (Futuroscope 1) with the construction of three major attractions, including Tornado Hunters and Mission Bermuda (replacing the Energy Garden by 2025), and the renewal of other pavilions and shows; as well as the development of a resort (Futuroscope 2) at the park's gates, including new themed hotels and restaurants (Station Cosmos hotel and Space Loop restaurant opening on 29 April 2022, EcoLodgee in 2023) and an indoor water park (Aquascope in 2024) linked by a vast landscaped esplanade (Plaza and redesign of the park's main entrance in 2024).
Objective: The stated aim of this development plan is to increase the number of visitors to the site to more than 2.5 million a year (up from 1.9 million in 2019) and to extend the average length of stay, in order to boost sales by 75 pc and create 750 direct and indirect jobs. The development of the resort and the restructuring of the existing park are also part of an environmental approach covering a number of areas: energy transition, waste management, water consumption, biodiversity, transport.
Aquascope Park
Description: Adjacent to the Futuroscope theme park, it opened on 15 July 2024. It cost €57 million to build. The water park is part of the Futuroscope Xperiences resort, which includes the Futuroscope Park, Aquascope, a 6,000-seat show arena, a free-fall centre, three themed hotels and a Space Loop restaurant.
Zones: The park is divided into three zones: the Sensations Zone (the slide, the Rift), the Kids Zone (the Kraki Rift) and the Immersion Zone (Abysses of Light).
Environmental approach: The project incorporates an innovative plant purification system. This system includes several "filter gardens" to treat grey water from the Aquascope, large and constant volumes that would otherwise have been discharged into the sewage system.
TO EAT
Spaceloop Restaurant
Description: The dishes in this restaurant, which opened in 2024, take off at high speed and loop around in twists and turns. As soon as they are ordered, the dishes cross the restaurant on an incredible system of rails and arrive hot on the table. A spectacular experience, unique in France, created by Rollercoaster Restaurant.
The flying crepe
Description: The Rabbids have invaded this crêperie and turned its décor and menu upside down. Galettes, salads, crepes... cretins for children to enjoy.