In Plailly, 38km north of Paris off the A1 autoroute, most easily reached by half-hourly shuttle bus (9.30am–1.30pm & 4.30–6/7pm) from RER Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle (line B). April–June Mon–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat & Sun 9.30am–7pm; July & Aug daily 9.30am–7pm; Sept & Oct Wed, Sat & Sun only 10am–6pm. Also closed for several days in May and June – it's best to check the website (www.parcasterix.fr in English and French) or phone 03.44.62.34.34. Admission is €31, 3–12s €23, under-3s free; at most RER and métro stations you can buy an inclusive transport (including shuttle bus) and admission fee ticket for €36.85 and under-12s €26.60.A Via Antiqua shopping street, with buildings from every country in the Roman Empire, leads to a Roman town where gladiators play comic battles and dodgem chariots line up for races. There's a legionaries' camp where incompetent soldiers attempt to keep watch, and a wave-manipulated lake which you cross on galleys and longships. In the Gaulish village, Panoramix mixes his potions, Obélix slavers over boars, Astérix plots further sorties against the occupiers, and the dreadful bard is exiled up a tree. In another area, street scenes of Paris show the city changing from Roman Lutetia to the present-day capital. All sorts of rides are on offer (with long queues for the best ones); dolphins and sea lions perform tricks for the crowds; there are parades and jugglers; restaurants for every budget; and most of the actors speak English (even if they occasionally get confused with the variations on the names). Alternate spellings:: asterix, astérix
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