Foire du Trône

La Foire du Trône: over a thousand years of funfair tradition in Paris

The Foire du Trône has its roots in the medieval history of France. In 957, when a famine struck the village of Piquepuce (now the 12th arrondissement of Paris), the monks of the Abbey of Saint-Antoine made loaves of bread from rye, honey, and spices, which they distributed to the poorest. King Lothair then granted them the privilege of trading these gingerbreads during Holy Week. Thus was born the Foire aux Pains d'Épices, the direct ancestor of the Foire du Trône.

From gingerbread to rides: a spectacular evolution

For centuries, the fair was held on the current Place de la Nation, then called Place du Trône, and along the Cours de Vincennes. Over the eras, the gingerbread stalls gradually gave way to increasingly elaborate funfair attractions. In 1963, under the impetus of Marcel Campion and the funfair unions, the fair was moved to the Pelouse de Reuilly, in the heart of the Bois de Vincennes, to have space commensurate with its ambition.

In 2021, UNESCO inscribed the world's funfair heritage — encompassing the traditions of traveling art and cultural transmission, of which the Foire du Trône is one of the oldest manifestations — on its representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

A world of attractions for all ages

With over 250 attractions and stalls, the Foire du Trône offers a complete panorama of the funfair world: thrill rides (the largest mobile roller coaster in France, the largest booster in Europe), family attractions, haunted houses (including the largest in France), illuminated Ferris wheel, bumper cars, skill games, and traditional treats — cotton candy, churros, love apples, and, of course, gingerbread.

The fair covers more than 10 hectares of the Pelouse de Reuilly, creating a true ephemeral city of lights and sensations that enlivens the 12th arrondissement for nearly two months each spring.

A popular and family event

The Foire du Trône is above all a popular and intergenerational gathering. Admission is free, and ride prices are affordable, with many reduced-price days organized throughout the season. The atmosphere is unique: in the evening, the illuminations of hundreds of rides create a magical spectacle visible from all over the Bois de Vincennes.

Each year, the charity opening night, organized for the benefit of the Princesse Margot association, which supports children with cancer, brings together families and personalities in a spirit of solidarity and celebration.