Futuroscope: Tornado Hunters, Etincelle, EcoLodgee... Discover the latest news

Looking for a geeky weekend away from the capital? Head for Futuroscope, less than two hours from Paris by TGV, to discover what's new at the theme park since February 4, 2023. On the program: a new attraction, Etincelle: la Malédiction de l'Opale Noire, accessible at opening, but also a new themed hotel, EcoLodgee, scheduled to open on July 8, 2023. We take stock!

How about a weekend at Futuroscope? From February 4, 2023, thrill-seekers and new technology enthusiasts will be heading to France's most innovative theme park, just two hours from Paris by TGV, to discover the most geeky and technological rides and experiences of the moment. 3D cinema, 4D, 5D, flying theater... Children and parents are spoilt for choice.

New this year is Etincelle: the Curse of the Black Opal. This 4D cinema plunges you into the adventures of a French superheroine, Etincelle, and her exploits. A true ode to superheroes, who were born in France, long before American comics, no matter what anyone says!

Our verdict on Etincelle: la Malédiction de l'Opale Noire at Futuroscope:

A new attraction we were able to test... As for the film, the direction is excellent, the actors particularly engaging, and the stakes of superheroic films well condensed into the ten minutes or so that the attraction lasts. A 4D cinema for families, with a rather successful preshow, perhaps a little long, but summing up what visitors will be treated to. As for the special effects, the laser effects work rather well, adding value to the whole. On the other hand, the movement of the room beneath our feet is a little timid, but this is compensated for by everything else. In short, this is a great attraction to introduce youngsters to sensations.

Another new feature: the Maison à l'Envers! More precisely, it's a photo spot, ideal for snaps to post on your social networks, featuring an upside-down house, like the one you can discover in the park's new attraction, Tornado Hunter, opening in July 2022.

On the accommodation front, following the opening of the 4-star Station Cosmos themed hotel, featuring 76 rooms and immersing families in a futuristic decor at the heart of a space station, it's the turn of EcoLodgee, announced some time ago, to open their doors on July 8, 2023. A total of 120 family lodges await you, with all the comforts you need to reconnect with nature. Note that television has been replaced by board games, there's no air-conditioning (fan available on request), and a dining area is accessible, although breakfast is brought into the lodges each morning. An environmentally-friendly nature area (the hotel has received HQR (Haute Qualité Environnementale) certification at the exceptional level, as well as the Biodiversity label), within which 14,000 trees will be planted, around a one-hectare lake.

Our verdict on EcoLodgee:

A hotel we were able to preview. The lodges are very spacious, ideal for a family of four. Each one has a small balcony, and most of them overlook a pond (without vis-à-vis, at least once the vegetation has grown well), which is particularly pleasant in summer for basking in the sun or having breakfast in the peace and quiet... Because that's the whole point ofEcoLodgee: to be in the peace and quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of the park or the region, and that's particularly good for you. The absence of television in the lodge contributes to this calm, a logical and coherent choice in terms of comfort and respect for the ecological concept.

When it comes to bedding, prepare to fall asleep on a cloud, whether it's the parental bed or the children's beds. Particularly comfortable, they should give you a good night's sleep. As for activities, the establishment offers board games for family fun, which you can ask for at reception. Alternatively, grab a good book - it's the perfect place for a quiet read!

And as for breakfast, it's very complete, balanced on the whole, and will delight pastry lovers as much as healthy breakfast enthusiasts. A gourmet moment that we took the liberty of enjoying on the terrace in the early hours of a sunny summer's day. An ideal setting for a good start to the morning!

Corporate seminars are also possible, as are privatizations. In short, a great place to relax after a hectic day in the park!

And if that's not enough, you can always take advantage of the Station Cosmos hotel and its stunning restaurant, the Space Loop. A restaurant in the vein of Europapark's Foodloop, it offers futuristic dishes brought to tables by rail cars. An original way to have lunch or dinner!

Note that a new attraction is due to open in 2025, between the roller-coaster and the water ride created by MACK Rides, Mission Bermuda, and that a water park is due to open by 2024, Aquascope, on which work has already begun. In the long term, a new hotel could also open by 2030.

And on the attractions front, the park's two latest openings are Tornado Hunters, a stunning immersive theater, and Target Mars, an innovative roller coaster around the Red Planet. Two attractions that the editors were also able to try out... In the case of Objectif Mars, we salute the "fun" aspect of the coaster, simulating the tests of space travel. As for the ride itself, it's intense, great fun, but a little short. But we're not going to deny ourselves the pleasure!

As for Tornado Hunters, the experience is top-notch from start to finish! The preshow is particularly well produced and entertaining, the queue is packed and allows a real immersion in the research center, and the attraction is a real technical success on all points: special effects, real sets and screens complement each other perfectly to give the illusion of a devastating tornado, while telling us a story. An attraction that richly deserves its prize for best attraction in the world, awarded by TEA, the Themed Entertainment Association, which each year presents some 15 awards from a selection of 300 theme parks.

Other attractions include L'Extraordinaire voyage, an extraordinary Flying Theatre, Sebastien Loeb Racing Experience, a 5D VR experience that puts you in the place of the racing driver's co-pilot, Dans les Yeux de Thomas Pesquet, a journey into space in IMAX Laser 4K, Danse avec Les Robots feat. Martin Solveig, Futuropolis, a village for kids to become firefighters, athletes, pilots, lifeguards or site managers, or Arthur, l'Aventure 4D. All in all, a great time, full of thrills, with family and friends...

Shall we book the weekend, folks?