Staying at Les Îles de Clovis, Puy du Fou

If you’ve not heard of Puy du Fou, it’s a historical ‘theme park’ situated in the Vendée region of France. There are no rides. Instead, the entertainment comes in the form of spectacular shows which take place during the day and in the evening. Four-period villages add to the authenticity of this truly remarkable park which 2.2 million visit every year. It’s no surprise Puy du Fou is voted the best theme park in the world. Rightly so, there’s nothing like it anywhere else.

Îles de Clovis is one of the five-period hotels at Puy du Fou and spread over 7 hectares. Feeling like we’d been transported back to the Middle Ages as soon as we arrived, we were enamoured by what we saw. A wooden walkway surrounded by a lake to a check-in area complete with thrones, throws and artefacts from times gone by. It was with a sense of wonder, we made our way past the restaurant and outdoor seating area towards our beautiful lakeside village.

Îles de Clovis comprises fifty thatched huts on stilts surrounded by nine lakes and 80,000 plants, all of which were individually planted. The half-timbered huts are eco-designed to recreate the ambience of a village from the first millennium but built to a high standard with all the mod cons you’d expect.

Each hut has been decorated to a high standard combining authenticity with comfort, there’s even air conditioning. The oak bed (larger than your average double albeit not quite a king) felt luxurious with its fur-like throw and scatter cushions. It was as if you’d travelled back in time and yet had everything you needed for the most enjoyable stay. Everything had been considered. Like enough plug sockets to charge a camera, mobile phone and iPad or battery pack at the same time, a good wifi connection and satellite TV with Puy Du Fou’s channel plus French and International options. There were two bedside tables, a seating area rather like a chaise lounge and a desk plus ample space for luggage and a safe. The wooden bunk beds had red curtains on rails, perfect for when the kids fancy a little privacy.

The wet room was an absolute delight, the power shower a joy to stand beneath twice a day. The curtains that surrounded it reduced the water spreading in the room and any excess drained away quickly. On the other side of the wet room was a granite sink set in wood with hairdryer, handsoap and antique mirror above. Of course, mirrors, as we know them today, were not around in medieval times so while you can see yourself, having a compact for applying make-up was quite handy. The toilet was separate to the wet room and as you’d expect stayed true to the medieval theme. There was an inscription on the wall in French about Clovis I who was a military leader born into the Morovingian dynasty back in 481.

The location of Îles de Clovis is just stunning. The patio door at the back opened out onto a private balcony with lake views, ducks and carp clearly visible. It was the ultimate in peace and tranquillity with just the tweeting birds for company. We did hear some rather vocal frogs when heading back after the evening shows too. There’s nothing better than staying somewhere and being surrounded by nature is there?

It wouldn’t be very medieval to have coffee and tea making facilities in the huts but the Îles de Clovis restaurant is less than five minutes walk away. Le Banquet de Mérovée operates a buffet style menu and there’s an outdoor bar. Opening times vary, depending on the number of guests, but there are 20 food outlets in the park.

Îles de Clovis costs from €66 per person per night which includes entry into the park. The Puy du Fou video below will give you a feel for what Îles de Clovis is like (drone envy!) and do read this review from fellow family travel blogger Are We Nearly There Yet? too. A summary of the other accommodation options available at Puy du Fou follows after the video.

Le Camp du Drap d’Or (pictured below) invites guests to follow in the footsteps of Henry VIII and Francis I of France with its flamboyant lodgings of the Field of the Cloth of Gold. Buffet meals (breakfast and dinner) are available at the Deux Coronnes which has an array of options available. To discover more about Le Camp du Drap d’Or, please read the reviews by Extraordinary Chaos and Juggle Mum. At La Citadelle, you can spend a night within the ramparts under the protection of the nights, staying in a veritable fortress. Breakfast and dinner is served at L’Ecuyer-Tranchant in the Citadelle’s main courtyard. Le Logis de Lescure is an 18th-century lodge with 4 suites: Le Planétarium, Le Salon de Musique, Le Cabinet des Curiosités and La Salle des Miroirs with La Villa Gallo-Romaine, a few steps from the Gallo Roman Stadium, offering a stay in Ancient Rome. I’d recommend staying at one of Puy du Fou’s hotels for ease of getting in and out of the park, it’s just a few minutes by foot.

Read about the Puy du Fou park and its extraordinary shows here (find out about the period villages here). It really does have to be seen to be believed so if you’re planning a trip to France in the future, make sure you consider a visit. Puy du Fou is situated an hour’s drive from Nantes airport in the Vendée region so it’s easily accessible. Ideally, you’ll need two days there to fully immerse yourself in the shows, each of which is very different but no less exciting. This Puy du Fou video provides just a taste of what to expect and check out my Instagram Stories Highlights to see footage from our time there.

Please also have a read of my fellow travel bloggers posts to discover more about Puy du Fou.

For tips, read the Extraordinary Chaos guide to visiting and Jenography’s how to do Puy du Fou. For where to stay, read Juggle Mum’s Hotels at Puy du Fou and Extraordinary Chaos’ post Staying at Le Camp du Drap at Puy du Fou.

Jenography – The Best Theme Park You’ve Never Heard Of

Maris World – Puy Du Fou The World’s Best Theme Park

Globetotting – Puy Du Fou Theme Park, France

Are We Nearly There Yet – France’s Best Kept Secret, Puy Du Fou

Globetotting – The Best Shows at Puy du Fou

Maris World – What To See And Do At Puy Du Fou

Juggle Mum – A Review Of Puy Du Fou

Globetotting – 5 Things That Will Surprise You About Puy Du Fou

Extraordinary Chaos – Puy Du Fou in France

For more information about La Cinescenie, read this post by Juggle Mum and this post by Are We Nearly There Yet.