|
 in
Poitou-Charentes
 |
The
European Park of
the Moving Image. |
Just
outside Poitiers in France on a great green plain, futuristic shapes
puncture the skyline. It’s as if all the far fetched settings from
the science fiction movies have been beamed down to earth.
These are
the pavilions of Futuroscope and what goes on inside them can be
breathtaking.
To reach them we used an elevated walkway above the
fountains and the pool, where each evening in summer there are laser
and light shows.
Our
first stop was a simulator ride that had us taking part in ‘The Race
for Atlantis' wearing 3D glasses that pumped quadraphonic sound into
our ears we appeared to dive and swoop beneath the waves dodging the
jaws if fantastic creatures and whiz through the streets of
the drowned city of Atlantis. It was all very effective and
exciting.
 Almost
shaken by the experience we
emerged blinking into the sunlight, much of which was reflected from
the Kinemax, a huge glass building constructed in the shape of an
enormous lump of crystal.
Once inside it we settled in front of
a cinema screen as big as two tennis courts, large enough to
almost occupy our complete field of vision.
We
settled back to enjoy some superb photography as we braved the
rapids on the Colorado River amid the majesty of the Grand Canyon
It
was wonderful
stuff.
So too was le
Cinema en Relief - The 3D Cinema, where, wearing liquid crystal
glasses we dodged the computer generated images that shot out from the
giant screen and danced about our ears.
'Wings of Courage'
In
the IMAX 3D pavilion, three dimensional viewing and ultra large screen
technology is also used to great effect in the screening of
their first fiction movie.
In the 'Wings of Courage' you really feel as though you
are right beside Henri Guillaumet the 1930's mail pilot when his
plane crashes in the icy peaks of the Andes.
We
began to think that all that could be done to our senses had been
done, but we were wrong, we
reckoned without The Dynamic Motion Theatre.
In this, we not only ‘viewed’
but ‘felt’
the
experience and I was glad to have the restraining bar to hang on to as
the hydraulic rams under the seats persuaded my tummy what my eyes
were seeing was really happening.
Le Tapis Magic - The Magic Carpet.
I
think the most memorable experience was Le Tapis Magic - The Magic Carpet.
In
a film called ‘Flowers in the Sky’ we had a butterfly’s eye view
of the journey from Canada to Mexico.
It’s the only double Imax system in the world. It uses two,
700 metre² screens, so that the images that you see ahead of you
eventually float past below your feet.
Two
other impressive productions of ‘view and shake’ variety
were
Dynamic Vienne, a large screen film that has you falling through the sky, hurtling
round a race track in a 2CV, and in the same vehicle, speeding through the
narrow lanes of medieval Chauvigny. The other is The Dynamic
Astrotour, which
propels you into space and the inside of a satellite.
Quieter
attractions include a revolving tower  ,
radio controlled models, bumper boats and a children’s corner where
you can generate music by jumping on squares,
play computer games or become part of
a TV scene.
The
park is becoming very popular, which means that you need to think
about when you go. If you
want you avoid queues then plan your visit for times other than
Saturdays or French public holidays.
When ever you visit, enjoy the
magic carpet!
"Camping la Futuriste'
Its worth making a stop at Furturoscope as
you whiz south on the A10 Autoroute towards Bordeaux or Spain.
Certainly its also a good idea to spend time meandering through the
towns and villages of Vienne. 
There are budget hotel
chains and campsites nearby.
Up on the hillside across the valley
sits "Camping la Futuriste' Complete with swimming pool and
pitches for caravans and tents it can also offer chalets for rent.
As far as campsites go, no other country can rival France for
the sheer variety and charm of those available.
The problem is really
making a choice. A comprehensive listing with easy to understand
symbols is contained in the Michelin Guide for Camping and Caravanning
- have one in your car and you will never be far away from a suitable
site.
If you want more detail then The Alan Rogers Good Camps
Guide, compiled by a team of independent inspectors, is certainly a
wise choice.
Personally I like to have both handy, but take pleasure in serendipity,
just finding a pleasant area and following the signs to the
campsites.
We have seldom been disappointed.
FACT
FILE:
Futuroscope Admission
Adult (high season) 210F (54.88€)
Adult (Low season) 145F (22.11€)
Child 5-12 yrs (high season)145F (22,11€)
Child 5-12 yrs (Low season)100F (15,24€)
LINKS
:
Futuroscope www.futuroscope.com
Poitiers: http://www.intofrance.co.uk/destinations/maps/
mapReg.asp?regionID=20
Camping & Caravanning http://www.alanrogers.com
|
