Ride a rollercoaster at Parc Asterix

QUESTION: My family will visit Paris later this year and we have been advised to take our children to the Asterix park as an alternative to Euro Disney. Can you tell me more about the park? I have heard that it is only open during the summer month, so would it be open in May? How far is it from Paris? How would we travel there? I would be grateful for any other information. - Gerry Mayer

ANSWER: Opened in 1989, Parc Astérix is a giant theme park based on the adventures of the popular cartoon character, Astérix. Located in the heart of protected forest north of Paris, the park takes visitors on a humorous journey through ancient Gaul, the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages to the 21st century. Parc Astérix lies approximately 35 km from Paris in Plailly and is easily accessible from the capital. It will be open daily during May and is perfect for a one-day visit. The park used to open from April to October, but start opening for the winter months last year. From Paris, the easiest way to get there is to catch the RER train's B3 line to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle 1 station and then the shuttle bus to the park. The TGV high-speed train also stops at this station. If you want to drive, the park has its own exit off the motorway A1 Paris-Lille around 35 kms north of Paris. The park is very popular and now boasts more than two million visitors a year. Its biggest attraction is the Tonnerre de Zeus, a wooden rollercoaster rated the best in Europe.