The largest miniature park in the world is located in the nearby suburbs of Paris, 10 kilometers from Versailles, and is called “France in Miniature” (France en Miniature). It is interesting for both adults and children, especially if you are just starting to explore this magical multifaceted country – France.
The wonder park was created by the famous miniature master Dan Olman. An Alsatian by origin, living in Lyon, he turned miniature into a true art form. Each tiny exhibit presented here is made from several hundred tiny details. Sometimes, it seems that this reduced world is more real than the one we live in, as it can be examined up close! The master worked on his creation for fifteen years.
The creation of the park required huge financial investments and time expenditures. For example, reproducing the model of the Château de Chambord took more than 2000 hours of work and about 500,000 francs were spent. In the model of the Stade de France near Paris, you can see 50,000 figurines of spectators, all hand-painted. The full implementation of the Parc de Versailles project took about a year. And parts of the Eiffel Tower (la tour Eiffel), located in the central part of the park, were assembled using a helicopter!
If we talk about this attraction in terms of numbers, it turns out that there are 160 historical monuments representing all regions of France, 60,000 different characters, more than 25,000 dwarf trees – so they do not obstruct the panorama when viewed, 5 rivers flow across the territory, 100 ships float on 2 hectares of sea, cars move in opposite directions on the highway, and the imagination is struck by the functioning funicular of Montmartre! All in a scale of 1:30.
The main goal of the park is to give visitors an idea of the main attractions of France, what is worth seeing during their stay in this country. All exhibits are located according to their actual position on the map of France and include not only miniature copies of famous landmarks but also fragments of cities and regions of the country, lagoons with docks, railways, and bridges!
The park is very conveniently organized: all objects are numbered, and if you walk through it as recommended in the brochure provided at the entrance, you can see all the park’s objects completely. And knowledge of the language, as always when visiting tourist attractions in France, will be practically unnecessary.
With each passing year, the number of beautifully crafted mini-masterpieces increases, and their arrangement allows the park to be used as, essentially, a living map of magnificent France. The plants planted around the models represent the real flora of each specific region, and their selection and cultivation are handled exclusively by specialists.
Adverse weather conditions harm the miniature exhibits, and therefore, during the sad cold months from November to March, the park is closed. Before your trip, it is essential to check the park’s operating schedule – just in case.
