Historical (english)

The history of MANEGEVILLE begins in 1968 purely by chance. I am in search of one interesting and original hobby which is not expensive and which does not require too much space.
I start to fabricate some miniature houses, but I quickly realize that the challenge is not very interesting.
After one visit to an agricultural fair where there were rides, I begin the fabrication of one miniature Ferry Wheel, at scale 1/32, which is assembled on one trailer truck. This wheel is dismountable and the parts are placed inside the trailer for transport, like the rides of this time. The truck and the ride are fabricated with wood, which I cut out, adhesive, and painted. I buy one electrical motor to run it and finally, I add some lights.
Having found the construction of this ride very interesting, I fabricate a second ride Airplane on the same pattern. The airplanes are attached with wires, which turn, the whole dismountable and installed on another trailer truck.
It is at this time which was born the idea to make a complete amusement park with rides, play and food stands, all dismountable and stored on many trailer trucks. During these few years, I fabricate a complete amusement park composed of ten rides and many play and food stands.
I make some exhibitions in shopping centre and I carry out that the assembly of all these rides requires an enormous time and does not allow me to make rides requiring some complex mechanics.
In 1980, I decide to remake my park, starting with a new concept made up of a modular and dismountable platform on which are placed the rides which are built in module with one base which hides all mechanical mechanisms, electrical and electronically systems.
The rides are programmed to run like the real ones and they have many lights. Each module has a lid for storage and transport.
With this new concept, only one hour is required to assembly this park.
I name this new park MANEGEVILLE.
During this time, new rides are added, become increasingly complex and modern and the old ones are rebuilt or replace by more modern. Hundreds of scale people are made with wood, paint, and to sit on ride seats and to walk inside the park walks. A mountain with a water fall run out towards a large basin, all lighted, complete the main entrance.
There were several articles in the newspapers and reviews and several reports at television on my park. I participate to one or two shows at each year. I present a fifteen minutes show. The astonishment of children and also the interest and the comments of the adults are my best incentive for every working hour on this hobby.
The originality, the exclusivity and the quality of this show are the principal comments that I receive.
Thank you very much too all those people that send me their comments.