11/10
Photos (10)
Highs and lows
Highs
- Amazing Swing Launch Section
- So. Much. Airtime
- Glass Smooth & super comfortable trains
- Great theming and location
- Relentless and fast paced
- Varied elements with different forces
The numbers
66.5mph
Top speed
167.3ft
Height
3,527ft
Length
3
Inversions
Our review
Introduction
Toutatis is a 2023 Intamin LSM Launch Coaster at Parc Astérix outside Paris, France. Parc Astérix has really made a name for itself, and ever since they opened this Intamin beauty, they have truly entered the contest for best park in Europe for coaster enthusiasts. They have since continued this trend with a major park expansion and two new high-quality family coasters, but there is no doubt that Toutatis - the long-awaited thrill coaster announced all the way back in 2019 alongside its sister coaster, Pantheon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg - is the king of Parc Astérix. We knew Toutatis was going to be a great ride and probably the best of the trip, but we had no idea it was going to be this good. But oh boy, was it ever.
God of the Gauls
The Festival Toutatis area that surrounds Toutatis really is a joy to walk around. It is snugly built below the La Trace du Hourra bobsled coaster. The area is very festive and celebratory, and luckily, the star ride of the area is more than worthy of celebration. The lore of Toutatis revolves around Vitalstatistix, who has invited the various tribes to the festival site to honor Toutatis, the protector of the Gauls. However, all visitors must enter the god's sacred mound, face the ritual, and prove their bravery in order to partake in the festivities.
In other words: "Oh no, must I ride this big Intamin thrill coaster!?"
As you enter the queue line and slowly descend into the Tumulus of Toutatis, passing through the mystical forest and the magical cave that holds the station building, you are once again reminded of the level of detail that Parc Astérix puts into its lands and queues.
The theming and surrounding area are beautiful, and the kinetic energy generated by Toutatis as it zooms under the path taking you to the queue entrance, along with the large spike leaving riders hanging at 90 degrees, is simply magical.
In other words: "Oh no, must I ride this big Intamin thrill coaster!?"
As you enter the queue line and slowly descend into the Tumulus of Toutatis, passing through the mystical forest and the magical cave that holds the station building, you are once again reminded of the level of detail that Parc Astérix puts into its lands and queues.
The theming and surrounding area are beautiful, and the kinetic energy generated by Toutatis as it zooms under the path taking you to the queue entrance, along with the large spike leaving riders hanging at 90 degrees, is simply magical.
Ritual of Courage
Once you're in the cave, the time has come to undertake the Ritual of Courage. You take your seat in the super-sleek and comfortable Intamin trains, pull down your airtime-allowing lap bar, and off you go.
The layout of Toutatis is simply magical and delivers non-stop action from start to finish. You drop down out of the station and immediately hit the first launch, which can really take you by surprise if you don't know the layout beforehand.
You turn and hit the first inversion, which is the first of two Zero-G stalls. This one has some nasty hangtime, making it much more potent than the usual straight-track version that also appears later in the ride. You then cruise over a few small, outward-banked airtime humps before entering the highlight section of the ride.
The swing launch sequence consists of the launch track and two airtime moments: one between the launch and the spike, and one during the launch - the launched airtime hump, if you will - which has become sort of a signature element on these new Intamin LSM coasters. On the first pass, you get a decent boost and airtime, but both the launch and the airtime get more powerful on each go. By the second swing, the ride will violently lift you up and slam you back down into your seat (in a loving manner, of course). The spike is also glorious. Despite all the moments of powerful ejector airtime, crazy hangtime, and whippy transitions, we would still call this our favorite moment. Being gently lifted from your seat and hanging there so high up, all while being able to see the people standing around the area looking up at you, is simply pure bliss.
The layout of Toutatis is simply magical and delivers non-stop action from start to finish. You drop down out of the station and immediately hit the first launch, which can really take you by surprise if you don't know the layout beforehand.
You turn and hit the first inversion, which is the first of two Zero-G stalls. This one has some nasty hangtime, making it much more potent than the usual straight-track version that also appears later in the ride. You then cruise over a few small, outward-banked airtime humps before entering the highlight section of the ride.
The swing launch sequence consists of the launch track and two airtime moments: one between the launch and the spike, and one during the launch - the launched airtime hump, if you will - which has become sort of a signature element on these new Intamin LSM coasters. On the first pass, you get a decent boost and airtime, but both the launch and the airtime get more powerful on each go. By the second swing, the ride will violently lift you up and slam you back down into your seat (in a loving manner, of course). The spike is also glorious. Despite all the moments of powerful ejector airtime, crazy hangtime, and whippy transitions, we would still call this our favorite moment. Being gently lifted from your seat and hanging there so high up, all while being able to see the people standing around the area looking up at you, is simply pure bliss.
Intamin Masterclass
And somehow, as you crest the big top hat, you realize that you are only halfway through the ride, and trust us when we say, the second half does not let its foot off the gas at all. While all the big, signature elements like the swing launch and the top hat are in the first half, the second half turns up the pacing, throwing you through the aforementioned Zero-G stall, a crazy barrel roll, several outward-banked airtime hills, and many whippy transitions.
Not only is the ride relentless, but there is so much airtime. While we can neither confirm nor deny whether there are exactly 23 moments of airtime like the official stats say, we can confirm that there are so many different types of airtime, and it all hits. The swing launch, the drop off the top hat, and the outward-banked hills all deliver potent airtime, and the one regular bunny hill after the turnaround is so potent it almost hurts (and yes, we view that as a positive). Hell, the ride even ends by almost folding you over the restraints with a sort of small double-up into the brakes. Most of this happens in such quick succession, and compared to a modern Vekoma thrill coaster where you effortlessly glide through each element, Toutatis smoothly but abruptly throws you from one sensation to another, resulting in a much more aggressive and intense ride experience. Luckily for us, this is just how we want it.
Not only is the ride relentless, but there is so much airtime. While we can neither confirm nor deny whether there are exactly 23 moments of airtime like the official stats say, we can confirm that there are so many different types of airtime, and it all hits. The swing launch, the drop off the top hat, and the outward-banked hills all deliver potent airtime, and the one regular bunny hill after the turnaround is so potent it almost hurts (and yes, we view that as a positive). Hell, the ride even ends by almost folding you over the restraints with a sort of small double-up into the brakes. Most of this happens in such quick succession, and compared to a modern Vekoma thrill coaster where you effortlessly glide through each element, Toutatis smoothly but abruptly throws you from one sensation to another, resulting in a much more aggressive and intense ride experience. Luckily for us, this is just how we want it.
Conclusion
Toutatis is a masterpiece and a masterclass in how to design a modern, high-thrill coaster. It is well-themed and beautifully integrated into the surrounding area. It delivers an aggressive and relentless ride experience that features several highlight elements with no filler whatsoever, all packed into a fast-paced layout. It throws you every which way, offering both crazy airtime and freaky hangtime, and it does all of this while being glass-smooth. It's a magnificent creation and truly one of the best coasters we've ever ridden, so thank you for that, Intamin and Parc Astérix.
All photos
Locking the restraints on F.L.Y…