The French park that sells propaganda disguised as entertainment: "We prefer glory to shame"

The Puy du Fou theme park in western France, the country's most popular attraction after Disneyland, is at the center of a political and cultural storm. Critics accuse it of presenting far-right propaganda, erasing the French Revolution, distorting historical facts, and ignoring dark chapters such as slavery, colonialism, and the Vichy regime. Park director Nicolas de Villiers explains: "We always prefer glory to shame."

The Puy du Fou theme park in western France, about a four-hour drive southwest of Paris, has become the focus of a political and cultural storm. The park, which began in 1978 as a volunteer show near a ruined castle and grew into an empire employing about 3,000 people, is the most popular attraction in France after Disneyland. Critics, as reported by the New York Times, accuse the park of presenting far-right propaganda disguised as entertainment. Allegations include erasing the French Revolution, courting Christianity, distorting historical facts such as portraying early French people as Christians persecuted by pagan Romans or Vikings, and completely ignoring dark chapters in France's past: slavery, colonialism, and the Vichy regime that collaborated with the Nazis. Park director Nicolas de Villiers does not apologize for the omissions and explains: "We always prefer glory to shame." The park recorded revenues of about $350 million in 2025 against a record three million visitors, and has even expanded to Spain and plans to open a branch in the UK. Families continue to visit the park, some agreeing with the message but most coming for entertainment and escapism. A teacher visiting the site summed it up: "When I come here, I disconnect the park from the person who created it."