The project for a huge medieval theme park in the Aude took one step closer to realisation today when the two leading lights behind the project, Eric Péchadre and Michèle Azzopardi, announced the completion of the feasibility study, and more importantly they announced that the business plan has now taken shape and show that the project is now prepared to search for private capital to start development. While the exact location of the Parc Medieval remains a closely guarded secret, "South of la Cite, Carcassonne, near the Autoroute" was as much as they would reveal, the broad outline of the attractions were presented to the AFIT (Association Francaise d'Ingéniere Touristique). The plans centre around presenting a realistic and exciting experience of France in the Middle Ages, using the full resources of Multimedia, high adrenaline rides and theatre the Medieval Park aims to attract 1,000,000 visitors by 2010. If the finance can be put in place quickly the Medieval Park has set itself the ambitious task of opening in April 2007, with a potential already of welcoming 600,000 visitors. In the words of Eric Ecuador, "The closest thing that exists at the moment in France is the Puny dub Four, we have chosen to enlarge its themes of the history of France and recreate amazing spectacular experience for our visitors".
The pilot company, Sopreparc, was created in 2001, bringing together business leaders in the Aude with public partners to commence the feasibility studies. In the next stage of development Sopreparc will provide the leadership for the project and start raising the necessary funds to start the construction. Sopreparc will own the property and the licence, it has already raised 7.6 million euro and has a bank commitment for a further 12 million in the form of long term loans- but as Eurodisney will tell you you need deep pockets in the theme park business. 600,000 visitors represents twice the annual passengers Ryanair delivers to Carcassonne. The nearest large population centre remain Barcelona, and the lack of a strong rail infrastructure possess serious problems for the project. Will the Medieval Park be strong enough to be a destination for tourism or will it have to rely on passing trade, that key question will remain unanswered until at least two years into operation, by which time a vast majority of the capital will have already been sunk into the project. Let us hope the financial support has deep pockets and patience.

Peter Shield 12th october 2004