International support has been expressed for plans by Puy du Fou to establish its first history-focused theme park in the UK.
Spain’s Minister of Education, Milagros Tolón, wrote to the leader of Cherwell District Council to back the company’s outline planning application for a site near Bicester, Oxfordshire.
The proposed location comprises land north of Bucknell, close to Bicester and junction 10 of the M40.
Puy du Fou already operates award-winning history-themed attractions in France and Spain, with the Spanish destination having opened during Tolón’s period as Mayor of Toledo from 2015 to 2023.
She remains a senior member of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party.
According to the company, the completed UK project would create around 2,000 direct jobs.
It would also support 6,000 further positions in hospitality, food and beverage, supply chains and other local businesses, while generating an estimated £500m for the local and regional economy each year.
Tolón said Puy du Fou España had benefited Toledo through increased tourism, wider regional development and greater economic activity.
In her current government role, she also emphasised the attraction’s educational value, including its ability to encourage young people to explore history and heritage while offering practical training and professional opportunities.
The park’s educational offer includes organised visits for school groups.
During the 2026 season, almost 150,000 pupils and students from across Spain are expected to participate in visits designed to complement classroom learning and stimulate curiosity about museums, cultural institutions and heritage sites in Spain.
Beyond its internal training schemes, Puy du Fou has also formed links with secondary schools, sixth-form institutions and universities in the region.
These arrangements are intended to provide young people with workplace experience and clearer career pathways.
Support for the UK proposal has come from senior figures in France and Spain who have previously recognised the benefits associated with Puy du Fou’s operations in their regions.
Olivier Strebelle, the company’s chief executive, said political backing had come from leaders representing different positions, including left-wing and right-wing parties, as well as socialist and conservative representatives.
He said the group works closely with local authorities in the areas where its attractions are located and indicated that the same approach would be sought with Cherwell and Oxfordshire councils.