Le Parc du Petit Prince, a lesser-known French theme park in the Alsace region, offers a cheaper and more relaxed alternative to Disneyland Paris, with ride queues never exceeding 10 minutes even in August, according to a family visit reported by Metro. Aimed primarily at children up to age 11, the park is inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic book and features themed rides, a mini-farm, and shows, with a walk across the park taking around 20 minutes.
A Charming, Low-Key Experience Compared to Disney
The park, located in Ungersheim, is the most-visited theme park in the Alsace region, but it offers a distinctly different vibe from the larger Disney parks. The visit, made by a family with a five-year-old daughter, found the park to have a "wonderfully appealing charm, with a chilled vibe and great rides for a young family," as described by Metro. The experience is likened to Peppa Pig World with a certain French flair, and while it can't compare to the glitz of Disney, it excels in its own way.
Despite the August visit, queues for rides were never more than 10 minutes and were usually covered from the sun. The park's small size means it takes only about 20 minutes to walk across, but the rides are beautifully themed around the children's classic tale. While knowledge of the book adds to the experience, the park can be enjoyed by kids and adults who don't know the story, with lots of themed shows and activities.
Rides, Shows, and a Mini-Farm
Outdoor rides include the log flume (Aeropostale), the asteroid ride (Pierre de Tonnerre), and the Aerobar (L'Aerobar du Buveur), a large circular table where guests are belted into seats and transported slowly upwards for a spectacular view across the park while sipping their drinks. There's also a mini-farm with goats, sheep, rabbits, and birds, plus indoor rides and shows.
All shows are in French or German, but Interstice, an interactive show where visitors help recover the lost pages of The Little Prince, also has English subtitles. The show is hosted in French by a real person who asks everyone to vote using a keypad, and the park says it is working towards getting more English content to appeal to an international audience. Despite limited French, the show was easy to understand and fun for the child, making it a highlight of the visit.
Food, Costs, and Getting There
Food in the park consists of typical fast food like chicken nuggets and fish and chips for kids, while adults have options like burgers, hot dogs, salads, and pate, as well as more substantial offerings from the restaurant. There's also plenty of picnic space, and lockers are available at the entrance to store your own food. Most of the park accepts card payments, but a few euros in cash would be useful, as the Aeropostale log flume offers photos at €6 (paid in cash) and food for the animals in the mini-farm is available at €1.
Getting to the park can be tricky without a car, but the family travelled by train from the North West of England using Interrail passes (kids under 12 travel free with paid seat reservations). An 'on demand' shuttle bus from the nearest train station, Bollwiller, was reasonably priced at around €5 return trip for all three of them. For those flying, Basel is a 30-minute drive from the park, with flights from most major UK airports on British Airways and easyJet from £151 to £308 per adult.
Accommodation and Practical Tips
For accommodation, an Airbnb in Mulhouse costs around £75 per night, and the nearby Hôtel Les Loges offers family accommodation starting from €93 in September, though a rented car or taxi would be needed to get to the park from there. Fairly regular trains are available from Mulhouse, where there are plenty of Airbnbs and hotels.
The park also features several animal shows and activities that only happen once a day, so visitors should check times early. Another highlight is the Fox Burrow ride (La Tanière du Renard), inspired by The Little Prince's friend The Fox, which takes riders on a short trip with scenes from the book and real rabbits. The ride was so loved by the five-year-old that she went on it four times, thanks to short queues. There's also a meet and greet for fans, other indoor shows, and a mini splash park where swimming costumes are required. The visit concluded that the park is absolutely loved for a young child's age, with no boisterous kids queue jumping or large lines, making it a delightful little park, especially if visitors read The Little Prince beforehand.
