August 2019. Puy Du Fou Spain opens its doors in Toledo. Philippe de Villiers, a passionate French viscount of the story, wants to move the project of a theme park that he himself managed at the end of the 70s in France to our country. The original idea of the French Puy du Fou was recreate historical episodes of France as for example the history of Vendée. The success and popularity that the project reached in the neighboring country pushed Philippe to export him to Spain by giving him an entity and putting on the European map of cultural shows to Toledo. Puy Du Fou Spain has received nine awards among those of the most innovative park in its first year. From 2016 to 2021, French entrepreneurs and investors who are behind the project have invested almost 200 million euros. And they do not pretend to stay there. Who are the architects of this commitment to Spain and for Toledo?
"I am a Parisian, Puy du Fou is immensely known throughout France, I had visited it two or three times until one day I went with a friend who introduced me to Philippe de Villiers in 2014. I spoke with him and what I expected me is that After the visit I would file to start the European project, "explains Loc Erwan de la Viléon, CEO of Puy du Fou Spain.
Philippe entrusted his idea A de la Villéon, who quickly began to investigate what could be the ideal place to carry it out. "At the beginning of 2016, three areas left: Tuscany in Italy, Salzburg and the Madrid-Toledo area, I tried to bring me close to reality and meet local administrations, I also saw many grounds. Toledo had and has a lot of symbolic force," he says.
Erwan studied philosophy, history, also wrote plays and was a student of a prestigious French business school. He was clear that he wanted to guide him to the dissemination of history and culture. He settled in Toledo almost six years ago and dominates the Spanish-Toledano (typical expressions of the area included) very well. He recognizes that the Government of Emiliano García-Put was very excited from the beginning with Puy Du Fou. "They have been decisive. At this level you have two options: or are you disney or if you are not, you have to go very fast. Here they did not know each other and in Spain there have been many macroprojects that have not come forward. The park of El Quijote, Eurovegas, etc. Here they have opted for us from the beginning. Garcia-page came very fast there to see the park. The arrangement of the administration changes everything. You have two years of processing licenses instead of ten. "
De La Villéon is responsible for making the scripts of the stories that are developed in the shows of Puy du Fou Spain. Its protagonists are Lope de Vega, the CID or Christopher Columbus, among others. "The good thing about being a foreigner is that I can treat any issue without being suspected of having an ideological burden. Spaniards have a lot of self-criticism and sometimes a lack of impressive self-esteem, we present a story that does not have a neutral. Highlight the great work without hiding suffering. You do not imagine what we admire from outside, "he says.
Puy Du Fou is immersed in the preparation of its next season, which will begin on March 19 and to which they will reinforce with seven million euros more investment. 2020 supposed a hard claw for the Toledo theme park due to the pandemic although they have recovered very fast and already sail at cruise speed. "Obviously the pandemic affected us a lot and we had to cancel almost all of 2020 and had a seasonal principle in 2021 very bad, but in summer he came up and we have had a spectacular autumn. 150,000 people came alone in October, more Of 8,000 people a day. These figures let us see a very hopeful 2022. "
Another of the reasons why Page succumbed to the charms of the French was the commitment to create employment in the area. In fact, many of the people who work in Puy Du Fou are from Toledo Capital and surrounding villages of the province. "Since the month of March there are around 600 people, and more than 1000 indirect jobs. In addition, our idea is to increase the number of shows, so the visitor will have to stay in Toledo. This season the hoteliers They have moved to us that they have noticed the presence of the park. This type of synergies will continue and they will grow. "
Philippe is one of France's best-known faces. He was Secretary of State of Culture with Jacques Chirac, deputy and MEP. He has been presented twice to the presidential elections of his country with a party (movement by France) that he himself founded in 1994. He belongs to an aristocrat family and has seven children. He is a prolific writer and have always been interested in historical issues, so he has focused on him's efforts to promote Puy Du Fou project. The son of him Nicolas is the president of him. The French press describes him as a cult, religious and very traditional. He has been critical with some aspects of the European Union and very critical with religions such as Islam.
Date Of Update: 10 December 2021, 23:23
