Guests of Parc Astérix are set for a thrilling and whimsical ride into Greek mythology this summer, on a brand new mega roller coaster designed by Jora Vision for Compagnie des Alpes.
Along with Compagnie des Alpes’ team, Jora Vision set out to envision a story which would dip into the Astérix universe, while being its own unique entity. The coaster, manufactured by Gerstlauer, was planned within the Ancient Greece themed section of the park. In the story, guests board the express train of ancient times, called Pégase Express, and make a round trip through the landscape. A track close to one kilometer in length has riders zoom past the Romus and Rapidus attraction, crash into a billboard, and finally enter the Temple of Medusa — causing her to awaken in a bad mood and the train to dive backwards!
A great deal of the attraction’s storytelling occurs in the queue and loading station, which exist inside the monumental Gare Montparnassos, a nod to the famous Parisian train station as well as the eponymous Greek mountain. In true Astérix tradition, guests will encounter countless jokes and references in its concourses and ticket halls. Magazine stands nod to current publications, ticket booths of antiquity showcase familiar modern-day commuter struggles (is there another strike?). Posters even announce an upcoming tunnel to Londinium.
For Jora Vision, the attraction marks a true design highlight. “The strength of our design team, I believe, is the synergy between different expertises,” explains Jan Maarten de Raad, CEO of Jora Vision. “For Pégase Express, we had architects, illustrators, graphic designers and a creative director working together. It is key to us that our designs — which come with new innovations and challenges each time — are feasible, technically as well as budget-wise. We plan construction and execution costs right from the preliminary design phase. If you look at the current construction photos of Pégase Express, you’ll see only a few differences with the concept design. That makes us very proud indeed!”
Pégase Express is scheduled to open in June.