A visitor to Parc Astérix was refused access to the new “Toutatis” roller coaster because of her “morphology”. After several attempts, the staff were unable to fasten her safety harness and asked her to leave the attraction. A “humiliation” for the 35-year-old woman, who recounted her misadventure in the columns of Liberation. For its part, Parc Astérix has apologized, but says that the security procedure has been respected. However, management plans to ask manufacturers to develop seats suitable for heavier people.
The facts occurred on July 8th. Invited by a friend to spend a day at Parc Astérix, Madeleine, 35, was eager to try the brand new “Toutatis” attraction. This roller coaster, which opened its doors last April, is the fastest roller coaster in France. 51 meters high, it reaches a speed of 110 kilometers per hour.
With a skip-the-line ticket, the two friends quickly take their place in the merry-go-round. But when we wedge the security bar into their trolley, there is a problem: Madeleine’s does not lock. Glancing at the screens in the cabin located on the platform, she sees that all the passengers are decked out in a “little green square”, except her, whose box remains “lit in red”.
“A humbling experience”
The staff then asks her to push herself into the back of her seat and multiply the openings and closings of the harness for “several long minutes”. In vain. Madeleine is then asked to leave the attraction because of her “morphology”. “Really shameful” situation for the 30-year-old, who explains that she did not see any indication about the weight at the entrance to the carousel. In front of the attraction, a test seat is available, but only the minimum size required, of 1m30, is indicated. To Liberation, the young woman adds that she is 1m72 tall and that she has not weighed herself “for years”. She nevertheless specifies that she dresses “in (X)XL for the top and in 46/48 for the bottom”.
After the incident, Madeleine is caught up with by a man “who seemed to be the manager” to offer her compensation and assure her that he “didn’t condone” what had just happened. Fearing another “humiliating experience” and demoralized by the “insensitive attitude” of the attraction’s staff, she finally returned home early.
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Apologies
“We are sad and sorry for this person (…) certain morphologies do not allow boarding on Toutatis”, reacted Sébastien Retailleau, deputy general manager in charge of the operation of the park, to BFMTV. In this case, the size of the visitors’ thighs plays a role, because the safety bar must indeed pass between the legs.
Parc Astérix nevertheless apologized. The amusement park insists that it is against all forms of discrimination and in favor of inclusion, but must respect safety measures. “What matters is safety, that’s what we guarantee to our visitors (…) Even if the pilot wanted to activate the machine, he couldn’t, because the light would indicate a problem.”
Currently, “three or four” attractions are subject to restrictions. According to Sébastien Retailleau, the park plans to ask manufacturers to develop seats suitable for taller people. These already exist on the “OzIris” roller coaster at Parc Astérix.
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