May 20, 1987 - Opening

1987: the inauguration of a French giant

Mirapolis aims to embody a major French theme park before Disney arrives in Europe.

Mirapolis opens spectacularly, but the site’s ambitions already reveal a fragile balance between monumental dreams, costs and visitor expectations.

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1987: the inauguration of a French giant

Mirapolis appears in a France where the large theme park is still a gamble. The project claims a French identity built around tales, fables, novels and popular figures. That ambition makes it distinctive, but it also makes the message harder for some families to read.

At the inauguration, the park highlights its capacity, food areas, shops and eight themed zones. Gargantua dominates the site and immediately gives it a spectacular image that reaches far beyond the entrance.

Aerial view of Mirapolis: Gargantua shows the scale of the original ambition.
Aerial view of Mirapolis: Gargantua shows the scale of the original ambition.