Follow in the first footsteps of prehistoric man - hooray!
Follow in the first footsteps of prehistoric man - hooray!
| Theme Park | Parc Astérix |
|---|---|
| Park Area | Gaul |
| Type | Rollercoaster |
| Audience | Older Families and Thrillseekers |
| Opened | 31 March 2001 |
| Manufacturer | Mack Rides |
| Model | Bobsled |
| Height | 102 ft |
| Length | 2953 ft |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Max Speed | 37 mph |
| Designer | Jean-Marc Toussaint |
Speeding through the trees
Most Bobsled coasters are painted white and set in a snowy alpine themed landscape, but Parc Astérix have taken an entirely unique approach with their version...
Instead of an icy bobsled run, La Trace du Hourra ("The Hooray Trail") is set in a prehistoric age where humans are about to learn to walk.
The coaster's track - painted brown - follows the route of a prehistoric man as he manages to stand on two feet, running down the hill weaving between rocks and shouting "hooray!" as he finally accomplishes the feat.
While the theme and backstory was dreamt up by Patrick Roger and Jean-Marc Toussaint, the ride hardware comes from German manufacturer Mack Rides. Their Bobsled Coaster design is unusual in that the trains spend most of the course rolling freely down a halfpipe shaped trough rather than affixed to a set of tracks. This provides for some thrilling moments, especially as the train rides up high around corners, with riders getting the feeling they are about to tip out over the edge!
Bobsled coasters are fun, but Trace du Hourra is perhaps even more so due to its unique theme plus its fast, long ride experience. Just one in a number of highlights at Parc Astérix.
On the lift hill
Train passing over the queueline
The track weaves between large rocks
Yellow coloured bobsleds
