French Publishing House Bayard Acquires Kingoland Amusement Park
"Octopus Splash Attack" at Kingoland // Photo: Courtesy of Kingoland
(eap) As announced yesterday, the French Bayard Group – a Catholic media and publishing company based in Paris with operations across Europe, including Germany, Belgium and Spain – has acquired a majority stake in the regional theme park Kingoland in northwestern France.
In close cooperation with park founder Dominique Leroux and his team, Bayard intends to further develop the family-oriented destination, which opened in 2014. Going forward, cross-generational content and stories from the company’s publishing and editorial portfolio are planned to be gradually integrated into the park’s offering. With this step, Bayard is advancing the diversification of its activities beyond its traditional media business as part of its “CAP 2029” strategy plan. The company plans to bring characters from its children’s books and youth magazines to life as physical experiences within the park, establish a sustainable growth model, and strengthen engagement with its target audiences.
This year, Kingoland – which recorded around 215,000 visitors in 2025 – has once again expanded its attraction portfolio. To kick off the season this coming Saturday, the park will open the “Tomahawk” ride, a Super Spin by Zamperla.
Another example of a French theme park operated by a media company is Parc Spirou in Provence, which opened in 2018. There, visitors can immerse themselves, among other things, in the worlds of comic characters from the Belgian group Média-Participations. ■
