Famous French theme park submits plans for £600m Oxfordshire site

If approved, the UK park will open in phases from 2029

Sep 4, 2025 - 09:23

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Famous French theme park submits plans for £600m Oxfordshire site

A much-loved French theme park has submitted plans for a £600 million historical attraction in Oxfordshire.

Puy du Fou, which operates live shows and immersive experiences, announced it had submitted an outline planning application to Cherwell District Council on 1 September.

The group runs history-themed parks in Les Epesses, France, since 1978, and Toledo, Spain, since 2021.

Plans for the site in Cherwell near Bicester include four period villages, 13 live shows and three on-site hotels

Plans for the site in Cherwell near Bicester include four period villages, 13 live shows and three on-site hotels (Puy du Fou)

Plans for the site in Cherwell, near Bicester, include four period villages and 13 live shows. There would also be three on-site hotels themed to different eras of British history and a conference centre.

If approved, the park plans to open in phases from 2029, eventually welcoming guests between April and October each year.

Puy du Fou plans to directly employ around 2,000 people, with an additional 6,000 jobs planned for its hospitality services. The theme park is forecasting a boost of £500m to the local economy.

New lakes and gardens, including 40 acres of wildflower meadows and 20,000 new trees, were also outlined in the plans.

France’s second most popular park after Disneyland Paris, Puy du Fou welcomes over 2.5 million visitors yearly.

The company is predicting 550,000 visitors in the first year, rising to 1.47 million guests the park is fully developed.

The UK park expects to see 550,000 visitors in its first year

The UK park expects to see 550,000 visitors in its first year (Puy du Fou)

Its aim is for half of daytime visitors to arrive using public transport, with a free shuttle bus service between the park and nearby stations.

Olivier Strebelle, CEO of Puy du Fou, said: “We have only submitted these plans after an extensive consultation, which took over a year and included six in-person events and over 250 individual meetings, all of which have helped to shape our final proposals.

“We have wanted to come to the UK for many years. Britain has such a rich, colourful and exciting history, and the site we have chosen near Bicester is the ideal location to create a world-class destination that will bring that history to life.”

He added that the £600 million investment will create thousands of local jobs, with “environment and sustainability at its heart.”