How is Parc Astérix's MICE activity characterised?
Rodolphe Lauron – Parc Astérix hosts an average of 200 events per year, ranging from ten people to a thousand participants. If we saw around 150 events in 2025, their size increased, requiring more rooms and more bedrooms, with a positive impact on the revenue from this activity. The growth of business tourism at Parc Astérix has gone hand in hand with the increased hotel offerings, allowing us to accommodate larger groups. We have gone from an average of 80 to 180/200 people with our current capacity of 450 rooms spread across three hotels. Two of these, Les Trois Hiboux hotel (3-star) and Les Quais de Lutèce hotel (4-star), have a seminar centre with modular spaces designed to meet the needs of professionals. Events are mainly held from Tuesday to Thursday, as RTT have eliminated Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday seminars. Pricing varies according to the periods and demand, with certain months being particularly sought after, such as January, March, June, and September.
Is your business growing, however?
R. L. – We are experiencing better momentum than in 2025 and continue to receive enquiries every week for the current year and for 2027. We are not experiencing any reticence from businesses. Companies that had planned to carry out operations abroad prefer to remain in France for budgetary reasons, with the soaring price of plane tickets. This is beneficial for us. Our area of appeal mainly covers Île-de-France and Hauts-de-France due to proximity. The park is easily accessible via the A1 motorway and benefits from its closeness to Paris-CDG airport – and its TGV station – for people coming from major French cities and internationally. The fact that there is no direct public transport access, unlike one of our competitors, is not a hindrance. And it is very easy to set up a shuttle from the airport or the capital, from a Parisian station for example.
What are the strengths of Parc Astérix today?
R. L. – The proximity to the airport and Paris that I just mentioned, as well as the fact that it is situated in the heart of the countryside, with all three hotels surrounded by a vast forest. This allows companies to easily enjoy the countryside, with a Natura 2000 site right on our doorstep. Parc Astérix is therefore more appealing than the hotels at the Roissy hub and cheaper than those in Chantilly, these two areas being the park’s main competitors. Our priority is to adapt to our clients’ needs. With a dedicated team of 11 people, Parc Astérix has developed Business Experience, a comprehensive, bespoke package that includes accommodation – with the option to hire out one or more hotels – and catering, as well as entertainment, team-building activities on our site and the exclusive use of iconic attractions when the park is closed to the public. This enhances the exclusive nature of the event, which companies find very appealing. And when the park is open, they spend two hours or half a day exploring the park. The average stay is 2 days/1 night. We also host day events, but this is not our priority. With three hotels and 450 rooms to fill, we give priority to events that include accommodation.
What will you gain from the construction of a fourth hotel?
R. L. – Our capabilities will take a leap forward in Spring 2027 with the opening of L'Odyssée, a 4-star hotel with 300 rooms, 200 of which are twinable. It will have the appearance of a caravanserai, evoking Egypt, Phoenicia, and Persia. This establishment will double our MICE offering as it will house 13 meeting rooms, the largest being 400 m². The restaurant and bar will be up to scratch, with 700 and 250 seats respectively. My teams are already working on the commercialisation of this hotel, particularly by offering packages. To enhance the immersive aspect, the Middle Eastern theme can be extended to cocktail receptions, meals, and breaks during meetings. Most importantly, increasing the site's capacity from 450 to 700 rooms will allow us to accommodate larger groups in conjunction with Le Capitole, our modular space that can host events for up to 1000 people. This is with the ambition to strengthen our position in this type of format.
What other projects are there at Parc Astérix?
R. L. – Significant developments are underway at the park that will benefit MICE groups, such as the reopening on June 6th of the restaurant where we hold our largest evening events, with a capacity of 500 seated or 800 standing. Renamed Les comptoirs d’Epidemaïs, this venue will unveil a brand-new decor as it is now included in the extension of the Ancient Egypt zone. In 2027, another restaurant seating 400-450 people will be inaugurated in the Ancient Greece section. And in 2028, the new Londinium zone will feature covered spaces and attractions that we can use year-round, with the advantage of being less dependent on the weather.
Does Parc Astérix meet companies' CSR demands?
R. L. – The Hôtel des Trois Hiboux is Green Key certified, and L’Odyssée will be HQE certified. Regarding catering, the park has worked for years with local producers to encourage short supply chains, source products better, and prioritise "homemade" dishes. There is an imperative for quality when operating a 4-star establishment, as customers expect high-end services. The hotels are also demonstrating a strong commitment to water management, waste sorting, and the use of porcelain crockery for coffee breaks. In the meeting rooms, water bottles have been replaced by carafes of water, and we have reduced the consumption of notepads. We also practice reasoned mowing of certain green spaces using sheep. We raise awareness among our clients, both MICE and leisure, about our actions and encourage them to adopt responsible behaviours through signage in the hotels and across the park.
