Parc Saint Paul

Saint-Paul, France

“French credit park”

Northern France has many medium-sized amusement parks and Parc Saint Paul is one of them. The park lies within close proximity to Beauvais, which is also home to a major airport. This airport is advertised as ‘Paris Beauvais’ by Ryanair, but it’s not exactly near the French capital. Still, Parc Saint Paul can easily be combined with visits to Parc du Bocasse, Mer de Sable, Parc Astérix or Disneyland Paris.

ROLLER COASTERS

This might come as a surprise, but Parc Saint Paul is one of France’s ultimate coaster parks. According to Coaster-Count, the park boasted a total of nine roller coasters during our most recent trip. Of course, most of these rides are rather simple family coasters. Some of them look like they belong on a funfair, but hey… a credit is a credit, right?

Parc Saint Paul also bought two thrilling coasters from the Russian manufacturer PAX. Sounds dangerous? Yes, it definitely does. Recently, one of those rides even caused an accident with a deathly outcome. That’s why the so called Formule 1 remains closed until further notice and I guess it will be torn down eventually. The other PAX ride is still in operation and it’s just as crazy as its brother. Wild Train has a wicked first drop, which is followed by some very intense curves. Lap bars don’t close too tightly, so it’s a very intense experience.

The very best roller coaster at Parc Saint Paul is Wood Express, a hybrid coaster designed by Gravitykraft Corporation. Wood Express looks and feels very much like its older sibling at the Swedish Gröna Lund. It’s got powerful airtime, tight curves and a few snappy transitions. Despite its limited height and speed, Wood Express has everything a perfect wooden coaster needs. Incredibly good roller coaster!

The most unusual roller coaster at Parc Saint Paul is called Télépheriques. Honestly, most people wouldn’t even define it as a coaster, but I tend to follow Coaster-Count when it comes to credits. This ride seems to belong on a children’s playground, but it’s actually a lot more intense than you might expect. This DIY stand-up suspended coaster (yes, you read that right) requires some strength in your arms, but it’s definitely worth a visit. Never in America.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Parc Saint Paul has a lot of attractions, but most of them are rather simple. A few attractions are surprisingly well themed, though. I liked the swinging ship that was shaped as Noah’s Ark and the walk-through haunted house has a few good scare moments. However, Parc Saint Paul’s nicest area is the dinosaur-themed land. This isn’t an original theme at all, but the log flume and the Disk’o Coaster look great in their Jurassic setting.

WORTH A VISIT?

Credit hunters should definitely consider a visit to Parc Saint Paul. But even if you’re not aiming at a new coaster bingo, this park may deliver a great experience. Although Wood Express is the only real must do, the park offers a ton of attractions for the whole family. Coaster enthusiasts will be done in just a few hours, but families with children should plan to spend an entire day at Parc Saint Paul.

PHOTO GALLERY

Have you ever visited this French amusement park? What do you think about the Russian roller coasters? And is Télépheriques the most unusual coaster credit in western Europe? Share your opinion in the comments section at the bottom of this page.