Plopsaland Ardennes

Plopsaland Ardennes is a theme park in the village of Coo, near Stavelot in Belgium’s Walloon region. The park is situated beside the waterfalls of Coo, a long-established tourist attraction in the Ardennes, and combines family rides, themed attractions, outdoor recreation and views of the surrounding landscape. It is operated by Plopsa, the theme-park division of Belgian entertainment company Studio 100. The site’s tourism history predates the modern amusement park by several centuries. The waterfalls of Coo developed into a visitor attraction as transport and leisure travel expanded, and a self-service restaurant was operating there by 1920. In 1955, Professor Gaston Dugardin added a chairlift known as Le Télésiege, which carried visitors up a roughly 220-metre hill. He subsequently developed additional recreational facilities, including go-karting, miniature golf and a playground. In 1976, operation passed to Dugardin’s son Didier, who developed the site into an amusement park named Télécoo. The name combined the original chairlift attraction with Petit-Coo, the nearby village. During the 1980s, Télécoo broadened its offer with attractions such as a simulator, a classic-car track, two bobsleigh tracks, a roller coaster and a wildlife park. The park later faced stronger competition from larger Belgian operators, including Walibi Belgium and Bobbejaanland. Investment slowed during the 1990s, and the family eventually sought a buyer. Plopsa and Studio 100 acquired the Télécoo domain in December 2005. The transaction included the park and related activities such as Targnon Adventure and CooKayak; the Château de Targnon property was handled separately. The park operated through the 2006 season while Plopsa renovated rides, landscaping and visitor facilities. It formally reopened as Plopsa Coo on 31 March 2007, aligning the venue with Plopsa’s portfolio and allowing Studio 100 characters and themes to be promoted in Wallonia. Subsequent development introduced or refreshed attractions including Vliegende Fietsen, Konijntjes, a maze, Autorijschool, Vicky the Ride, DinoSplash, a walk-through play area and Vlindervlucht. Existing attractions were also rethemed: the former tree-trunk ride received a Maya the Bee theme, while the roller coaster was successively associated with Piet Piraat and Vicky the Viking. The wildlife park was sold in 2013 and ceased to be part of the visitor offer. In 2021, severe European flooding caused extensive damage to the park’s rides, shops and other facilities. Assistance from Plopsa’s other parks helped the site reopen within approximately a week. Plopsa later presented a long-term investment concept involving a hotel, an indoor park, a water park and upgraded pathways. That plan was subsequently paused amid concerns about proposed local tax increases. The venue is currently marketed under the Plopsaland Ardennes name and remains a regional family-entertainment destination.

The modern history of Plopsaland Ardennes is rooted in the tourism development of the Coo waterfalls. The site’s waterfalls include an older feature associated with the area’s landscape and a larger fall created several centuries later by monks seeking to protect Petit-Coo from flooding. As travel became easier during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the falls attracted increasing numbers of visitors. A self-service restaurant was established at the site in 1920. The first major visitor attraction arrived in 1955, when Professor Gaston Dugardin installed a chairlift called Le Télésiege. The lift transported guests to the top of a hill approximately 220 metres above the site. Dugardin expanded the leisure complex with a go-kart track, miniature golf and a playground. In 1976, his son Didier took over operations and reshaped the attraction into an amusement park named Télécoo, a reference to the chairlift and the village of Petit-Coo. Télécoo expanded during the 1980s. Its additions included a simulator, a classic-car circuit, two bobsleigh tracks, a roller coaster and a wildlife park. The park’s competitive position weakened in the 1990s as larger Belgian destinations, particularly Walibi Belgium and Bobbejaanland, grew. Télécoo added relatively few new attractions during that decade, although it did introduce the Splash tree-trunk ride. After other Belgian parks were acquired by larger entertainment groups, the Dugardin family also explored a sale. Télécoo remained family-operated until Plopsa acquired the domain in December 2005 for a reported €6 million. Plopsa initially kept the park operating in broadly its existing form while renovating the infrastructure and attractions. Go-karting and the roller coaster were refurbished, some shops were removed, landscaping was improved, and new features such as dancing fountains, pedal boats and a carousel were introduced. The renovated venue officially opened as Plopsa Coo on 31 March 2007. Plopsa then developed the park progressively. Vliegende Fietsen, Octopus, Konijntjes and the JBC Laburint were among the 2008 additions, followed by Autorijschool in 2009 and Vicky the Ride in 2011. The tree-trunk ride was given a Maya the Bee theme in 2011. The roller coaster was rethemed first for Piet Piraat and later for Vicky the Viking, becoming associated with the name Halvar. DinoSplash and a walk-through play area were added in 2015, followed by a playground in 2019 and Vlindervlucht in 2020. The separate wildlife park was sold in 2013 and stopped forming part of the Plopsa Coo visitor experience. The park was badly affected by the 2021 European floods. Water damaged attractions, shops and other facilities, but assistance from across the Plopsa group enabled a rapid recovery and reopening in roughly one week. In 2019, Plopsa outlined a future vision involving an estimated €25 million of investment, including a hotel, an indoor park, a water park and improved circulation routes. The program was intended to be completed by 2025, but it was later paused in connection with proposed local tax changes. The reported proposal would have increased annual taxation from €50,000 to €300,000. The park is now presented as Plopsaland Ardennes, retaining its role as a Plopsa family theme park in the Coo area.

1. 2021Flood recovery

   Severe flooding damaged the venue, which reopened after rapid assistance from the wider Plopsa group.

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2. 2020Vlindervlucht introduced

   Vlindervlucht became one of the park’s newer attractions.

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3. 2015DinoSplash and walk-through play area added

   The park added DinoSplash and a walk-through play area.

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4. 2013Wildlife park sold

   The wildlife park was sold and ceased to be part of the park’s visitor offer.

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5. 2011Maya the Bee theming introduced

   The former tree-trunk attraction received a Maya the Bee theme.

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6. 2007Official reopening as Plopsa Coo

   The renovated park officially reopened under the Plopsa Coo brand.

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7. 2005Plopsa acquires Télécoo

   Studio 100 and Plopsa acquired the Télécoo domain and related activities.

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8. 1989Roller coaster and wildlife park added

   Télécoo expanded its attraction portfolio with a roller coaster and wildlife park.

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9. 1976Télécoo is created

   Didier Dugardin took over operations and developed the site under the Télécoo name.

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10. 1955Le Télésiege chairlift opens

    Gaston Dugardin opened the chairlift that became the foundation of the later amusement park.

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11. 1920Restaurant established at the waterfalls

    A self-service restaurant was operating at the Coo waterfalls as visitor tourism developed.

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A regional, family-focused theme park that combines Plopsa character theming with outdoor attractions and the natural tourism appeal of the Coo waterfalls and Belgian Ardennes.

• DinoSplashWater ride2015

  A dinosaur-themed water attraction added during the park’s post-acquisition expansion. It forms part of the family-oriented ride portfolio and complements the park’s broader mix of themed and outdoor attractions.

• Vicky the RideFamily ride2011

  A Plopsa-era family attraction associated with the Vicky the Viking character universe. It reflects the operator’s strategy of connecting rides at the park with Studio 100 intellectual properties.

• HalvarRoller coaster1989

  The park’s roller coaster, which has undergone several thematic identities. It was previously associated with Piet Piraat and was later rethemed around Vicky the Viking as Halvar.

• VlindervluchtFamily ride2020

  A newer family attraction added as part of the park’s continuing program of ride development before the 2021 flooding.

• Vliegende FietsenFamily ride2008

  A bicycle-themed attraction introduced during the early Plopsa Coo expansion period and designed for family participation.

• 2019Long-term expansion visionStrategy

  Plopsa presented a plan to broaden the destination beyond its existing outdoor theme-park offer.

  What changed. The proposed program included a hotel, indoor park, water park and upgraded pathways, with an announced investment of €25 million.

  Aftermath. The plan was later paused amid proposed increases in local taxation.

  Planned investment. €25 million (2019 plan, intended completion by 2025)

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• 2005Acquisition of the Télécoo domainM&A

  Télécoo had struggled to compete with larger Belgian amusement parks, and the Dugardin family ultimately decided to sell the site.

  What changed. Studio 100 and Plopsa acquired the park and associated domain activities for a reported €6 million.

  Aftermath. The venue was renovated and reopened under the Plopsa Coo name in 2007.

  Reported acquisition price. €6 million (December 2005)

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• 2021Flooding severely damages the park

  European flooding inundated the site and severely damaged attractions, shops and other facilities. Support from Plopsa’s other parks helped the venue reopen in about a week.

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• 2013Wildlife park leaves the visitor offer

  The wildlife park was sold and was subsequently no longer accessible as part of the Plopsa Coo experience.

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• 2007Park reopens under the Plopsa Coo name

  Following renovations and operational changes, the park officially reopened as Plopsa Coo on 31 March 2007.

  Product launch
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• 2005Plopsa acquires the Télécoo domain

  Plopsa and Studio 100 took over the Télécoo park and associated domain activities, bringing the long-running family amusement park into the Plopsa group.

  M&A
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• Plopsa pauses expansion vision amid tax concerns

  A proposed major investment program was paused amid plans for a substantial increase in local taxation on the park.

  Regulation
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1. Plopsaland Ardennes
2. Plopsaland Ardennes official website