After some difficulties, Guillaume Roche’s Parc d’Artagnan seems to be on the right track. The first shows will take place in 2024, the work has started.
At the end of the morning, it’s time to feed the fifty or so birds of prey who quietly await their meal in Gazax-et-Baccarisse, on the site of the future Parc d’Artagnan. The project has been under consideration for two decades in the mind of Guillaume Roche, who needs no introduction. The master falconer and former stuntman is on the verge of succeeding in his crazy bet to create a theme park around the famous Gascon musketeer. “It’s a dream for me, I’ve always loved these animals,” he says. But for that, it will have been necessary to spend a few million euros and find twenty hectares of land.
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Gers: drought, soaring costs… Guillaume Roche’s Parc d’Artagnan will not open before 2024
It’s done. But very quickly, things got complicated for the leader of the SARL “Les Ailes de Gascogne” and for the project. Rising cost of materials, delays in deliveries, drought: the problems have accumulated and the opening initially planned for June 2023 has been undermined. But for the start of this new year, the park seems to be on the right track.
20 hectares will be devoted to the park.
“We built the stables for the horses, we received the materials for the exteriors and around ten people are working on site to prepare everything,” says Guillaume Roche. In Toulouse, the file is also in the hands of the Higher Institute of Tourism, Hospitality and Food (ISTHIA), where working groups are looking into the impact on tourism, as part of their studies.
Lack of consideration
“A lot of people stop in the village and come to observe the birds of prey, wondering if it’s open to the public,” says the master falconer. Others are impatient with the opening of the park. But, Guillaume Roche still regrets a lack of support and consideration from elected officials, the department and the region. “They want to revitalize the Gers but a project like this obviously does not interest them,” he says. Starting from nothing, the stuntman is struggling to have everything ready by June 2024.
But he still takes precautions. “There’s no point in going too fast, we’re going to do things gradually,” he says. It will begin with a show, around the figure of the famous musketeer, then two, then three. Next step ? Prepare the track, the bleachers, the parking lot and the rest of the amenities.
“If everything goes as planned, we can then embark on the animal park,” explains Guillaume Roche. Historical, ecological but also preventive approach: “we want above all to raise awareness of the animal cause. »
The animals are cuddled by a dozen people.
At the same time, the team continues its summer tour and offers courses with a falconer. In June, the Gers and d’Artagnan will be proudly represented in Monaco, in front of his majesty, within the palace itself, to show part of the show on d’Artagnan. An opportunity to “make the department known but above all to do some publicity for the park”, loose Guillaume Roche with a smile.
