Futuroscope: a park that will rock you

Another French theme park little known to the British, yet France's second most popular after Disneyland, is Futuroscope, just outside Poitiers.

Describing itself as the theme park of the moving image, Futuro-scope has more than 20 attractions, ranging from a huge Imax cinema, a 360-degree screen to 3D and - above all - what the French describe as Cinema Dynamique, or what we would call simulators.

In these the whole seating area judders, rocks and moves to correspond to the images on screen. And a visit to a 3D screen for an Indiana Jones-style trip to a Lost Temple sends you plunging off on an amazing roller coaster ride. Futuroscope recently opened its own TGV station, making it an 80-minute journey from Paris. Although unashamedly French, all the film soundtracks are translated into English. Visit the simulators first as they are the busiest.

For further information, call 020 7499 8049 or visit the park's website: www.futuroscope.com