Latest news with #Gargantua
Daily Mirror
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Incredible £1.3bn theme park built to rival Disneyland abandoned and left to rot
Mirapolis was created to rival Disneyland Paris when it opened in 1987, but within four years, the ambitious project became one of the country's most infamous failures as it now lies abandoned Once heralded as France's answer to Disneyland Paris, designed to bring French literature to life, Mirapolis now stands as a ghostly and desolate landmark. Initially celebrated as "France's first large amusement park," the site is now eerily deserted. Strategically located less than an hour from Disneyland Paris, Mirapolis opened its doors in 1987 with high hopes of immersing visitors in the wonders of French literary classics. However, the lofty dreams were short-lived, as within a mere four years, this bold venture turned into one of France's most notorious flops. Created by architect Anne Fourcade, Mirapolis was intended as a cultural foil to Disneyland, marrying historical literature with thrill-seeking. Backed financially by Saudi businessman Ghaith Pharaon, the whopping construction cost was $600 million – a figure that would translate to around £1.3 billion today considering inflation, the Express reports. Even Jacques Chirac, then Prime Minister of France, graced the park's opening and kicked off the excitement surrounding its 29 attractions. According to AD magazine, the new amusement park had high hopes of welcoming as many as 600,000 tourists a year. Yet despite the buzz, problems loomed from day one - relentless rainfall marred its debut season, leading to frequent closures of its open-air rides. Mirapolis did find a silver lining in its theatre, which hosted a popular children's musical with grand puppetry, but insufficient foot traffic persisted. Seemingly lacklustre market research and overzealous financial predictions meant that the park was destined for closure, sealing its fate in 1991 without ever turning a profit. It is said to have been sensationally labelled one of the biggest financial failures in France. By 1993, the demolition process had started, with most of its structures being removed or sold off. The park's iconic centrepiece, a towering statue of Gargantua from French folklore, stood firm against dismantling until 1995, when its head was finally destroyed with dynamite. Nowadays, all that's left of Mirapolis is some entrance fences, pathways leading to former attractions and a park featuring a small lake. Over time, various plans to breathe new life into the site have been proposed and then abandoned. Many residents of France still remember the amusement park today, with various comments emerging on X, formerly Twitter, over the years. One former visitor wrote: "This is the France we love", while a second added: "With Gargantua as the figurehead. I went there once with my school. It was pretty awesome. And the ruins remained for years." A third noted: "I remember this park offering wins on TV shows like The Price Is Right and others. It was a dream come true..." Another penned: "Apparently the characters scared children and that's understandable." In response, someone added: "It was awesome, I went mainly for the 'gravitron.' I don't remember being scared of the characters, but they probably terrified others."
Miami Herald
11-06-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Gargantua' deep-sea creature among new species found in Atlantic. See them
In the depths of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, underwater volcanoes spew material into the ocean water. Vents that connect underground rifts to the surface release billowing clouds of black deposits of iron sulfide, earning the moniker 'black smoker chimneys.' These hydrothermal vent fields are hot, chemically rich and toxic to most forms of life. But, a special few organisms have adapted to call them their home. Now, two new species found around the black smoker chimneys of the Hydra and Falkor hydrothermal vent fields have been identified — and they're huge. Researchers operating the remote underwater vehicle SuBastian, from the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and the human-occupied vehicle Nautile, from the French Institute of Research and Exploitation of the Sea, used suctioning tools to collect peltospirid gastropods from the black smokers, according to a study published June 5 in the peer-reviewed Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. The peltospirid gastropods, or a family of marine snails found around hot vents, were compared to known species, but their 'very large' size immediately tipped off researchers that they may belong to new species. Genetic testing confirmed their suspicions, according to the study. The first new species, Peltospira gargantua, was found on a black smoker chimney in the Hydra field at a depth of about 12,300 feet, researchers said. With a shell smaller than an inch, the snail is 'very large' compared to others in their genus, researchers said. The shell is 'rather tightly coiled,' and their bodies have 'short, paddle-like' tentacles. Part of the shell is an 'olive green' color, but the shells are typically 'obscured by dark brown to reddish layers of' mineral deposits, according to the study. 'The head is large, with a thick and broad snout that expands slightly towards the mouth,' researchers said of the snail's body. The animals have no trace of eyes on their external bodies, not uncommon for creatures found in the dark abyss of the Atlantic. Researchers named the species after Gargantua, a character from the French novels 'The Five Books of the Lives and Deeds of Gargantua and Pantagruel,' stories of a giant king and his son. 'The word Gargantua has since been used to mean 'huge' or 'immense,' as exemplified by the English adjective gargantuan,' according to the study. 'Thus, the species name refers to the very large size of the new species in relationship to other known (relatives).' The second new species, from a different genus, was named after Gargantua's son, Pantagruel, according to the study. Lirapex pantagruel is the 'largest of all known Lirapex species, hence the name of a giant is fitting,' researchers said. The species was found on the black smokers of the Falkor hydrothermal vents at a depth of about 13,000 feet, according to the study. This species is even smaller, with a shell diameter of about 0.3 inches long, and the shell is 'tightly coiled,' researchers said. The pantagruel snail is also covered in reddish to blackish material, but has a semi-transparent and greenish hue otherwise. 'The soft parts are overall typical of the genus Lirapex,' researchers said. 'The head is large and without pigmented eyes… The snout is short, flattened, with the mouth opening ventrally. A pair of thin, film-like jaws are present.' Finding the two new species was a 'surprising discovery,' researchers said, as the areas where they live have only been explored for a few years. 'Hydrothermal vents on the northern (Mid-Atlantic Ridge) have been explored for about four decades. Yet, species of large snails aggregating in conspicuous habitats near hot fluid orifices, such as P. gargantua and L. pantagurel, have remained undiscovered until now,' researchers said. 'It might be that the two new species are present only in Hydra and Falkor EMARK, two vent fields that were found only in 2023.' The research team includes Chong Chen, Florence Pradillon, Coral Diaz-Recio Lorenzo and Joan Manel Alfaro-Lucas.
Scottish Sun
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Abandoned £118million fairytale theme park that would have been a Disneyland rival – but closed after four years
Plus, the £346milion theme park that wanted to be the 'English Disneyland' in the 1980s… but was never built RIDDEN OFF Abandoned £118million fairytale theme park that would have been a Disneyland rival – but closed after four years Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN abandoned fairytale theme park that cost just under £118million was forced to close after just four years. Mirapolis opened in 1987 in Courdimanche, France - less than an hour via train from Paris - featuring French legends and stories throughout the attraction. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Mirapolis originally opened in 1987 5 The theme park was based on French legends 5 One ride was inside a statue of Gargantua Credit: Getty Architect Anne Fourcade was inspired to create the park after visiting the Disneyland theme park in California in 1980. Rides included 'The Dark Ride', which was inspired by 'City of Ys' legend. The ride was modern for the time, with a terrifying sea monster, sunken head and an underwater scene that even had animatronics. It was thought it could have been a rival to Disneyland Paris, which opened in 1992 and was around an hour away, with both based on fairytales and childhood stories. Not only that, but it hoped to welcome as many as 600,000 tourists a year, according to AD magazine. Yet according to the LA Times, the "French theme park experience began only in 1987," which meant a boom in new attractions that weren't being run correctly. After just four years the park was closed, waiting to be rebuilt. It was reportedly one of the biggest financial fails of the history of France. The expectations for the park were said to have been too optimistic and were based off of incorrect market research. This included looking at American tourists compared to French tourists, when it came to elements like eating habits and ticket prices. I took my family to the perfect first UK theme park for little kids Not only that, but the stories and characters the park was based on were mainly only known to French locals, unlike the international fame of Disney's characters. After the closure of the amusement park back in 1991, it sat abandoned for a year waiting for a buyer. When a buyer didn't emerge, a crew of journalists and operators created a film on the closed-down park with the attractions being opened for one last time. From 1993 onwards, the buildings were gradually demolished, with some of the rides sent to other amusement parks. For example, the ride 'Dragon des Sortilèges' went to Spreepark and Les pirates went to Meli Park. In 1995, arguably the most iconic part of the park - the Gargantua statue - finally lost it's head. The statue was the second tallest hollow state in the world behind the Stature of Liberty, and was of the giant from the story 'The Life of Gargantua' and of 'Pantagruel' from the 16th century. The Dark Ride was located inside the statue and took guests on a journey through the giant's body with 120 animatronics. In 2017, the park would have celebrated its 30th anniversary and to mark the occasion, an exhibition was set up showcasing the history of the park. And in 2018, plans were revealed to built an "eco-friendly tourist resort" on the same site although this was also abandoned in 2019. There was also a £70million Disney-like theme park that nearly opened in one of the UK's coolest cities. Plus, the £346milion theme park that wanted to be the 'English Disneyland' in the 1980s… but was never built. 5 The park was only open for four years
The Irish Sun
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Abandoned £118million fairytale theme park that would have been a Disneyland rival – but closed after four years
AN abandoned fairytale theme park that cost just under £118million was forced to close after just four years. Mirapolis opened in 1987 in Courdimanche, France - less than an hour via train from Paris - featuring French legends and stories throughout the attraction. 5 Mirapolis originally opened in 1987 5 The theme park was based on French legends 5 One ride was inside a statue of Gargantua Credit: Getty Architect Anne Fourcade was inspired to create the park after visiting the Disneyland theme park in California in 1980. Rides included 'The Dark Ride', which was inspired by 'City of Ys' legend. The ride was modern for the time, with a terrifying sea monster, sunken head and an underwater scene that even had animatronics. It was thought it could have been a rival to Disneyland Paris , which opened in 1992 and was around an hour away, with both based on fairytales and childhood stories. Read more on theme parks Not only that, but it hoped to welcome as many as 600,000 tourists a year, according to Yet according to the After just four years the park was closed, waiting to be rebuilt. It was reportedly one of the biggest financial fails of the history of France. Most read in News Travel The expectations for the park were said to have been too optimistic and were based off of incorrect market research. This included looking at American tourists compared to French tourists, when it came to elements like eating habits and ticket prices. I took my family to the perfect first UK theme park for little kids Not only that, but the stories and characters the park was based on were mainly only known to French locals, unlike the international fame of Disney 's characters. After the closure of the When a buyer didn't emerge, a crew of journalists and operators created a film on the closed-down park with the attractions being opened for one last time. From 1993 onwards, the buildings were gradually demolished, with some of the For example, the ride 'Dragon des Sortilèges' went to Spreepark and Les pirates went to Meli Park. In 1995, arguably the most iconic part of the park - the Gargantua statue - finally lost it's head. The statue was the second tallest hollow state in the world behind the Stature of Liberty, and was of the giant from the story 'The Life of Gargantua' and of 'Pantagruel' from the 16th century. The Dark Ride was located inside the statue and took guests on a journey through the giant's body with 120 animatronics. In 2017, the park would have celebrated its 30th anniversary and to mark the occasion, an history of the park. And in 2018, plans were revealed to built an "eco-friendly tourist resort" on the same site although this was also abandoned in 2019. There was also a Plus, the £346milion theme park that wanted to be the 'English Disneyland' in the 1980s… but was never built. 5 The park was only open for four years 5 Over the years, the park was eventually dismantled
