Roller coasters
Everyone has heard of roller coasters. They are both frightening and exciting, at any age. But do you know the different kinds ?
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ROLLER COASTERS
The idea for the roller coaster originated in Russia as a simple wooden ramp about 20m (65ft) high and covered in snow (or ice), which people would slide down on a sledge. Then, around 1880, the US railways invited the public to ride on trains outside of operating hours. The trains moved forward along the tracks, or rather were propelled by gravity.
Around the same time, in France, a businessman began building similar rides, using a wax-based mixture (instead of snow, which was more scarce in France than in Russia) to help the vehicle slide. A few years later, after several upgrades, the modern roller coaster was born.
Experience thrills and emotions like never before with the roller coasters at Parc Astérix:
- Thunder 2 Zeus and its breathtaking drop, twists and turns.
- The Pegasus Express, hurtling its passengers back and forth, on a track almost 1km (two-thirds of a mile) long, full of turns, climbs and jaw-dropping descents.
THE UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE FIGURE 8 ROLLER COASTER
The figure 8 roller coaster was a type of roller coaster originally built with a track in the shape of the number 8, to which increasingly complex shapes have now been added. Today, figure 8-style roller coasters have incorporated twists, loops, coils and much more frightening features, to the delight of visitors seeking thrills.
Discover the rides at Parc Astérix based on the original figure 8 roller coaster: Osiris Convolvulis, which will hurl you around in twists and turns 40m (130ft) above the ground, upside down, and at 90kph (55mph), or Justforkix, famous for its 75kph (45mph) drop and seven loops, and last but not least By Toutatis!, our new record-breaking attraction.
Experience a new high on this incredible roller coaster! Overlooking the land of the Gauls at a height of 51m (170ft), and reaching a speed of 110kph (70mph), By Toutatis! is the tallest and fastest roller coaster in France.
