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If you want to get a look at what an amusement park would look like were it made without the billions of dollars that a big name like Disney puts into their own rides, check out a little place in the small town of Saint Cannat, France, by the name of Les Village des Automates.  It’s a strange sort of place in the woods filled with, as the name implies, a number of automated characters.  Through rides and automated displays, the park relates to visitors many of the classic tales of childhood.

There are hundreds of automations throughout the park, most of them placed in glass display cases.  A child need only push a button and the robotic entities come to life, singing, dancing and telling their stories.  There are themed areas for Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty and Gulliver’s Travels, as well as a number of other attractions and rides.

Some of the small rides consist of simple kid’s adventures such as pedal cars, a small train and a child-sized monorail.  There is a maze for children to wander through, a petting zoo and many more park-like installations such as slides and other things for kids to climb on.  Sometimes the park puts on additional events to further entertain visitors, such as workshops for kids, magic shows and themed festivals.

LesVillage des Automates may not be the most modern place when it comes to its approach and, to be honest, won’t likely catch the attention of older kids.  But it’s still an interesting little place that shows a very different approach to children’s entertainment.  Apparently this approach works well enough, as the park has expanded in recent years and has plans to expand even more in the future.  If it sounds like it’s worth a stop-through during your tour of France, you can check out their website for more information.  Better plan for a summer visit, however, since they’re closed most days from September to March.

Cage of Animals photo courtesy of balado.fr