Futuroscope is the second most visited theme parc in France (after Euro Disney) and yet, it seems to me, most British families know nothing about it.

The parc is unlike anything I’m aware of in the UK; essentially it uses Imax cinema technology to show films that put you at the heart of incredible events and bring to life amazing experiences.

There are more than 30 attractions to explore, with several that are brand new for 2010.

Hurricane on the Bayou – New for 2010
Hurricane on the Bayou is a thrilling story and a musical celebration of New Orleans that teaches about the importance of preserving wetlands and ecosystems.

The gigantic images on the 9,700-ft² dome screen take viewers deep into the Louisiana heartland. When the Mississippi was diverted, New Orleans was able to spread out into new zones, but doing so has resulted in massive coastal erosion. The damage to its bayous and wetlands, once natural hurricane defences, has been such that New Orleans finds itself at increasing risk from cyclones, as witnessed by the devastating effect of Hurricane Katrina.

Brush with Genius – New for 2010
This is a moving journey to the sources of the Van Gogh’s inspiration for his work. Images on the 6,500ft² screen give viewers a new perspective on his art, and makes the film an original sensory experience.

Arthur, the 4D Adventure
Arthur, the 4D Adventure from Luc Besson (director of The Fifth Element, Leon, and The Big Blue) takes the audience into the make-believe world of the Minimoys. The full array of image technologies (3D modelling, large-format IMAX 3D images, motion simulator and physical effects in the theatre) and the creative flair seen in the Minimoys world thrust visitors on a roller coaster ride of excitement and thrills.

The Future is Wild – New version 2009
Darwin’s theory of evolution throws light on how species evolved in the past, and is the inspiration for Futuroscope’s imaginative look into the future. Our visitors climb aboard expedition vehicles for an interactive augmented-reality adventure, where, kitted out with camera-binoculars and sensor bracelets, they will meet and interact with animals that could be roaming the planet millions of years from now.

Cosmic Collisions – New for 2009
This spectacular, immersive and instructive show from the American Museum of Natural History, narrated by Robert Redford, takes visitors on a breathtaking journey through time and space to witness the cosmic smashes that shape the universe. The scientific images shown on the dome screen were taken by NASA satellites and modelled to simulate cosmic phenomena in 3D.

Fly Me to the Moon, new in 2009
Be a fly on the wall inside the first moon shuttle in Fly Me to the Moon and live an incredible adventure with three stowaways.

Stay at Les Charmettes, La Pignade and Bonne Anse Plage for best access to Futuroscope.

Science park Futuroscope and history-themed park Puy du Fou are both located on France’s west coast, where the big beaches, friendly seaside towns and activity-packed holiday parcs make for an ideal family holiday destination.

Puy du Fou
If you want a noisy, smoky, live spectacular that will bring your children’s history lessons to life, then step back in time at Puy du Fou in the Vendée where, in one afternoon, you can experience a Roman circus, Viking longboats and an 18th century village.

Puy du Fou is essentially a series of live historical shows dedicated to 2,000 years of French history. You can watch gladiators battle, Vikings loot and, in a new show for 2010, armies lay siege.

There are performances of falconry, jousting, magic and music, and the park explodes into life during the evenings when a thousand local volunteers perform a historical sound and music extravaganza on what they claim is the world’s largest stage.

Siblu’s four-star Le Bois Masson holiday parc, in the coastal resort of St-Jean-de-Monts, is within a short drive of Grand Parc Puy du Fou. A two-bedroom holiday home starts from as little as £725 for two adults and up to three children staying for 7-nights, based on a 17 July departure. Puy du Fou tickets start from €27 for adults and €17 for children.

Futuroscope
Futuroscope in Poitiers, in the Poitou Charente region of west France, is the country’s second most popular theme park.

There are a series of giant Imax cinemas that broadcast awe-inspiring films which include an interactive safari to see the animals of the future, the legendary Apollo 11 moon flight as viewed by a fly on the wall, and, in a new show for 2010, take viewers on an incredible 4D-adventure created by renowned film director Luc Besson.

There are many other attractions, including giant robot arms that dance with their occupants, and a light show blasted onto water.

Siblu’s Les Charmettes holiday parc is located at La Palmyre in Charente Maritime, within easy reach of Futuroscope. A 7-night stay at the four-star parc starts from £921 for two adults and three children staying in holiday home accommodation, based on a 17 July start date. Tickets for Futuroscope start from €35 for adults and €26 for children.

Explore the Vendée with a GPS
Le Bois Masson in the Vendée is hiring out global positioning satellite (GPS) systems and audio tours as an exciting way for families to explore the nearby Pays de Monts forest and salt marches. The guides help children to find and identify animal tracks and can be hired for as little as €9 for the full day. A seven-night holiday starts from just £479 from 24 May and includes a £70 saving on bookings made before 31 March. Dover to Calais return ferries are included.

Pony school in Calvados
Domaine de Litteau in Calvados, Normandy, is launching a pony school for families. Children can book rides through the Cerisy Forest or take part in half-day horse-care lessons. Prices start from just €12 for supervised rides and €35 for the course, which is run by local instructors. A seven-night family stay with Dover to Calais ferries starts from just £305, departing 12 May, including a £32 saving on breaks booked before 31 March.

Science and nature at the 3D movies
Futuroscope, a giant theme parc near to Poitiers, is packed with immersive cinemas that show awe-inspiring films which make science and nature exciting. New in 2009 are ‘Cosmic Collisions’, shown on a dome-shaped cinema screen where images of the crashes shaping our universe appear all around the viewer, and Fly Me To The Moon, a giant 3D film about three flies who space-hop on to the legendary Apollo 11 moon flight.

Futuroscope is a great day-trip for families staying at Les Charmettes in Charente Maritime, where seven-night breaks start from just £329, departing 23 May, and including a £115 saving for bookings made before 31 March. Dover to Calais ferries are included.

The theme parc, which is the second largest in France, uses a combination of films on giant cinema screens that appear above your head, below your feet and all around to give you a sense of flying, racing and rushing across incredible landscapes or through the seas. You’ll meet dinosaurs, incredible vessels and even giant robot hands that spin you round to a rock-and-roll rhythm. And if all that sounds too energetic, there are many more sedate activities when you need a breather.
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Of the new attractions, stand outs include The Blue Note Mystery Evening Show, a musical fairytale which blends giant images on water screens, special effects, lasers and lights; Cosmic Collisions, which is a film about the cosmic crashes that our shaping the universe, shown on a dome screen so the images appear above and all around you; and Fly Me To The Moon, a 3D film shown on a giant Imax screen, about three flies who space-hop on to the legendary Apollo 11 moon flight.

I love Futuroscope precisely because there is so much to interact with, and because it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen in the UK. It’s well worth a day-trip if you’re travelling to France’s west coast.