Add Asterix to Paris mix

Head to adrenaline-fuelled Parc Asterix for your alternative theme park thrills, says Mikey Smith

- - BY VICKY LISSAMAN

Asked to name a world-class theme park on the outskirts of Paris, based on a beloved set of comic and cartoon characters, I don't think many people would go straight for Parc Asterix.

But I'm here to tell you, you should go for it because it does so many things you won't find at Disney - at a fraction of the cost.

Parc Asterix is about 20 miles north of the French capital - not far from Charles De Gaulle airport, which runs a frequent shuttle bus to the gate. I was raised on the comic-book tales of the village of indomitable, magic potion-fuelled Gauls who simply refused to be conquered by Rome. And this is the only place in the world you can meet Asterix and Obelix in the “flesh”. But newcomers to the series can always get up to speed with the genuinely funny new Netflix adaptation of The Big Fight.

Even if you don't know your Idefix from your Dogmatix, the park boasts some of Europe's best and most thrilling rollercoasters, incredible food and drinks, immersive theming and loads for kids to do - even toddlers.

We stayed on site, at the three-star Hotel Les Trois Hiboux the Three Owls Hotel in English - nestled in woodland to the north of the park.

It has a bright and airy lobby, a cosy bar and, as will become a theme, an excellent buffet restaurant. The rooms are comfortably cabin-style, about halfway between a normal hotel room and a Center Parcs lodge.

There aren't any self-catering features like fridges or microwaves, but they make up for that with the location and the huge windows.

You'll wake up to tall trees, wild flora and occasionally a goat strolling by and if you're lucky enough to snag a cabin with a terrace, you can say hello.