Hacker News Reader

Comment by lm28469 | Hacker News Reader

> in Vendée where Lafayette is considered a regional hero

> famous theme park Puy du Fou

For people unfamiliar with this: Puy du Fou was created by a nationalistic politician born in the region. This politician, Philippe de Villiers, is getting closer and closer to the french far right, he's anti islam, anti europe, anti migrants, and go as far as to say that the French government is on its way to give away part of its territory for it to be ruled under sharia.

I have no experience with the park but from the articles I found I wouldn't be surprised if every "historical" events presented there are heavily interpreted/romanticised

View on HN

They are heavily politicized in their presentation of France history (for example one of the spectacle is about the christians persecutions in Rome, where the christians are the good guide, and the romans are the bad guys).

Another famous recent event is that they bought one of Joan of Arc ring, but it was mainly a nationalist move more than something important to preserve (Joan of Arc is from the east / north part of France) (for more infos: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anneaux_de_Jeanne_d%27Arc).

Overall, the parc is an entertainment place as much as a political tool, but not a lot of people are aware of it, and most of them are eating their propagande like the true story of France (due to lack of education on history mainly).

> (for example one of the spectacle is about the christians persecutions in Rome, where the christians are the good guide, and the romans are the bad guys).

This a political or controversial view? News to me.

>(for example one of the spectacle is about the christians persecutions in Rome, where the christians are the good guide, and the romans are the bad guys).

A not bad alternative view on the subject.

The Darkening Age: The Christian Destruction of the Classical World

Catherine Nixey

Well "getting closer" isn't really true since he is part of the French far right since 1994

Why do you feel the need to tell people that the park creator is a nationalist? It is not a crime and the park is about history and entertainment for families and kids on school trip.

I don't think it will be a surprise to you that people creating and managing companies take an active part in the company's vision and direction.

Just like medias owned by far right or far left entities will put a far right or far left spin on everything they treat.

I never said it was a crime, I'm just saying that the park creations shouldn't be interpreted as factual nor accurate depiction of historical events.

It's like arguing that Jesus did XYZ because that's what you saw in the movie "the passion of the chirst". As I said in another comment, as long as you don't pretend you're providing historical facts it's all good, but it's not the case here.

Is someone here complaining that the Round Table play about King Arthur is not historical [1]?

Or this year's interpretation of Cyrano de Bergerac [2]?

I do not get where this complaint about "historical facts" comes from.

The story about Vendée and Lafayette is not even in this year's programme [3] and I truly believe that French should be ashamed for shaving it off.

They've impoverished themselves and now they have one less thing to whine about.

[1] https://www.puydufou.com/france/en/les-chevaliers-de-la-tabl...

[2] https://www.puydufou.com/france/en/le-dernier-panache

[3] https://www.puydufou.com/france/en/grand-parc-and-shows

What are the stories presented in the park that are not historical facts?

A lot of people recognize that nationalism is toxic to peaceful civilization and prefer to avoid those who promote it heavily.

Nationalism is in some cases legal, but it’s not respectable and we need not dignify it as such.

You don't even have to go that far. It's obvious that the intention of the company's creator are carried through the company actions, be it nationalism, environmentalism, religious views, &c.

All sources are biased but some are more biased than others. Nationalists are the last people I'd trust to give an accurate depiction of their country's history.

You don't meet this guy when you visit the park. The park is an artistic endeavour to let kids and families learn about some french history in a fun way; the same history that you find in school textbooks. No politics involved.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com