A new experience museum called ‘La Restitution de la Grotte Cosquer’ opened this June in Marseille.
The ride, which ETF Ride Systems supplied 44 trackless Multi Mover vehicles, is a record number for one ride for the company.
Ruud Koppers, President ETF, spoke of the challenge in creating the attraction: “Our customer asked for a very low speed of 4.7cm per second. We had never made such a low speed before. This project asked for different engines and engine settings which we carefully tested and successfully implemented.
“In addition, the client asked for a not fixed but a flexible ride profile. This allows, on the fly, to change the ride speed without stopping the ride. This also requires adjustment of the programming in order to guarantee the level of safety.”
The experience museum idea originates from a prehistoric underwater cave, discovered by diver Henri Cosquer. The entrance to the cave is 37-metres below the current sea level and could only be reached through a narrow, dark tunnel of 175-metres.
Inside, it is decorated with drawings from around 18,500 BC, but are estimated to be about 80% underwater.
Now, La Restitution de la Grotte Cosquer brings the cave to life for a larger audience. Visitors descend below sea level, as in the real cave, and board the ETF vehicles including an audio guide. The vehicles have a black matt finish to not disturb the ambiance of the experience.
During the ride, the discoveries in the cave pass by, as well as the play of reflections of the water, to make the atmosphere of the sunken cave real. The ride takes about 40 minutes with 44 vehicles navigating guests through this oceanic experience.
