Cétautomatix

A few days after opening, fans could finally see how Cétautomatix actually rode. Looopings shared video footage of the new spinning coaster, which Parc Astérix had opened after months of delay. The story therefore moved from construction issues and opening dates to the real guest experience on the track.

The attraction is built around a test course for historic vehicles. Guests enter the world of Cétautomatix, the Gallic blacksmith from the Asterix stories. The queue contains comic details and references to Nationale 7, the oldtimer ride that disappeared to make way for the project. In the storyline, daredevils first choose a chassis, wheels and accessories before setting off.

For visitors, the video made clear what the family-friendly Gerstlauer ride adds to the park. Passengers sit facing each other in separate gondolas, the ride lasts about a minute and a half, and the cars reach 45 kilometres per hour. With 420 metres of track, a height of 14 metres and a 1-metre minimum height requirement, Cétautomatix is clearly aimed at families. Historically, the article closed the long build-up: from announced replacement to delayed opening and finally a visible, operating attraction.

On 14 August 2025, Parc Astérix finally gave a clear opening date for Cétautomatix. The park announced that the new spinning coaster would begin operating on Monday 18 August. That ended months of uncertainty around a ride that had originally been expected to add extra momentum to the season in mid-May.

The announcement put the previous delay into perspective. According to the park, manufacturer Gerstlauer had faced complications with the production and delivery of parts, which pushed the start of testing later than planned. Even the earlier target of the beginning of the summer holidays had proved too optimistic. The official date made the project concrete again for visitors and gave fans a fixed moment to look forward to.

That mattered for Parc Astérix because Cétautomatix was intended as an accessible family novelty in a park that had been investing heavily in coasters. At 420 metres long, 14 metres high and 45 kilometres per hour, it was more modest than thrill rides such as Toutatis, but that was exactly its strength for families. The late opening made the attraction's story more distinctive: not its scale, but its long build-up and delay became part of its identity.

In mid-May 2025, Cétautomatix hit its first public setback. Parc Astérix had planned to open the spinning coaster around that time, but announced that guests would not yet be able to ride. The coaster was already being tested, yet its public debut had to move further into the summer.

The park pointed to manufacturer Gerstlauer in its statement. The planned mid-May deadline could not be met because of delays in the production and delivery of parts. As a result, the necessary test runs could not begin early enough to reach the park's quality requirements on schedule. At that moment, Parc Astérix was not ready to name a new exact opening date.

For visitors, the news had a clear practical effect: anyone planning a trip around the new family coaster had to adjust expectations. For fans, the delay added drama to a project that had been presented as an accessible seasonal novelty. The technical figures remained the same: 420 metres of track, 14 metres high, 45 kilometres per hour and rotating cars. But the attraction's history gained an important chapter: a delayed launch caused by problems in the final production phase.