Rides: how are they controlled?

Are games and attractions safe? Last July, France Télévisions filmed an inflatable structure inspector inspecting an installation. “There are 40 points to check that the structure meets the standard”, he explained. This step is obligatory for professionals, because the rides always offer more thrills. During the summer of 2023, a teenager was killed on an attraction in Cap d’Agde (Hérault).

Facilities strictly regulated by law

A few days later in Antibes (Alpes-Maritimes), a child was thrown from an attraction. However, the installations are strictly regulated by law. Large rides must be inspected once a year, and smaller ones once every three years. For the representative of the French fairground federation, Nicolas Lemay, a check must be done every day. “Before each opening, the ride is checked. (…) If a defective part is identified, it is changed”he says.