POWER

LAUNCH
Profile by Juliana Gilling
SPLASHWORLD PROVENCE
France’s
Splashworld
Provence
Water
Park Takes
Guests from
Day to Night
THE FRENCH CITY OF AVIGNON may
be most famous for its history, but a
shiny new water park nearby is making
waves. Splashworld, which opened in
August 2015, is located in Provence,
a popular tourism destination in the
south of France. Representing an
investment of more than i35 million,
“Splashworld Provence is the first
park in a chain of water parks that we
will develop globally,” says Frederic
Bouvard, Splashworld president, CEO,
and majority shareholder.
Bouvard, who has 25 years of experience in the water park industry,
believes Splashworld Provence is a good fit for an “underdeveloped”
French market: “The parks are outdated, and the population/water park
ratio is quite low.” Splashworld is his formula for a “perfect seasonal
water park.” It combines “great attractions for the entire family, spectacular—yet
affordable—themed environments, and first-class services,” says
Bouvard. He is aiming for a minimum of 300,000 visitors per season.
The first phase of Splashworld Provence spans 45,000 square meters
and can accommodate up to 6,000 guests. The tropical-themed water park
features attractions including “Da Wave” surf simulator, a Supertube
supplied by Pacific Surf Designs. The surf simulator allows people to
practice at their own pace on settings ranging from a gentle open-ocean
swell up to a 10-foot-tall barrel.
“Da Wave” is the centerpiece of an area in the park called the Wave
Club, which includes a restaurant, a bar, and changing rooms. In the
daytime, guests can book surf sessions with one of the park’s resident
professional surfers. At night, the Wave Club transforms into the Wave
Lounge, where adults can enjoy cocktails, music from live DJs, and
performances by pro surfers, until 1 a.m. The club’s cabanas even offer
guests the opportunity to order from a distinctly French, five-star truffle
menu. “We have created an outstanding venue,” says Bouvard.
“Although the Wave Club is a part of Splashworld, it operates as a
stand-alone venue, with extended operating hours and potentially yearround
opening,” he adds. The water park’s season stretches for around 100
days, with 200 days for the Wave Club. “We can extend the length of the
season in both cases if the demand is there,” says Bouvard.
Polin Waterparks provided all of Splashworld’s slides. Highlights
include the “Huricana Sliiide,” a free-fall slide (33 meters tall) and the
“Aloha Racer,” which starts with Polin’s Black Hole and morphs into a
racing slide. Polin also created the “Adventure Island” multi-level play
structure. Other offerings include the “Ohana” lazy river (650 meters)
and “Ri’Kiki Bay” wave pool, which will be joined by a giant surf pool in
phase two. “We have attractions for every age group,” says Bouvard.
The project was not without its challenges, however, especially when
it came to “convincing the bank that the water park was worth financing,”
says Bouvard. Then, during the construction process, a crane fell onto
the assembled slides, destroying them. No one was hurt, but the incident
delayed the park’s debut by five weeks.
Nevertheless, says Bouvard, the finished Splashworld is “exactly as we
drew it years ago, which is truly satisfying.”
www.splashworld.net
30
Funworld | FEBRUARY 2016 | www.IAAPA.org/Funworld