† Obituary: Christian Reverchon Passes Away at the Age of 97

(eap) In 1952, he joined the family business SAMC-Avia Reverchon, founded by his father, and remained actively involved well into old age: Christian Reverchon, son of company founder Gaston Reverchon, passed away on 22 October 2026 at the age of 97. The global leisure and attractions industry joins his family, colleagues and friends in mourning the loss of a man who was not only a successful entrepreneur and visionary, but also a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather with strong family ties.

At the age of 23, Christian Reverchon, a trained coachbuilder, took on responsibility for the development and production of bumper cars at the family business. Driven by curiosity and a spirit of discovery, he travelled throughout Eastern Europe and the United States, coordinating the delivery of amusement rides to travelling fairground operators.

Over time, the bumper cars were joined by other children’s attractions as well as transportable “Himalaya” rides (Reverchon’s own version of the “Music Express” ride type). In the 1970s, Christian expanded the product portfolio to include the first flume ride specifically developed for an amusement park, which opened at France’s Parc Bagatelle. Together with his son Gilles, Christian Reverchon worked on another new ride type, the “Matterhorn”. Further innovations followed over the years, culminating in the “Spinning Coaster” ride model. [Editor’s note: As one of the leisure industry's pioneers in ride development, Christian Reverchon spoke to EAP in 2023 about the milestones in his company’s history. Read the full interview in EAP issue 2/2023.]

Today, the family business is managed by the fourth generation, represented by Nicolas Reverchon and his sisters Alexa and Jenna. Until very recently, their grandfather Christian continued to visit the shared office in Samois-sur-Seine (Île-de-France region, approx. 60 km south of Paris) almost every day. In a farewell tribute, the company states: “Christian remained passionately involved in his company and alongside the teams who have worked there over the years, bringing remarkable energy and enthusiasm to his work until his final days. […] He was a mentor, a role model, a source of inspiration and a wealth of knowledge. […] The mark he left behind endures in the attractions he built, in the skills and expertise he passed on, and in the memories of everyone whose path crossed his.”

The leisure and attractions industry mourns the loss of a long-standing entrepreneur who pursued his life’s path with creative ideas and courage and will be remembered as an influential figure who helped shape the industry. ■