When Goudurix opened with Parc Astérix on April 30, 1989, it arrived swinging: seven inversions packed into a single ride, jointly holding the European record for the most inversions on a roller coaster at its debut. Nearly four decades later, the Vekoma-built looper — named after the timid Gaul from the Astérix comics — is still flipping riders upside down just north of Paris, and still ranks among the roller coasters with the most inversions in the world.
Key Stats
| Height | 118 ft (36 m) |
| Drop | 108 ft (32.9 m) |
| Top speed | 56 mph (90 km/h) |
| Length | 3,120 ft (950 m) |
| Inversions | 7 |
| Duration | 1:20 |
| Max vertical angle | 64° |
| G-force | 3.9 |
| Manufacturer | Vekoma |
| Opened | April 30, 1989 |
Seven Inversions, Four Elements
Goudurix crams its seven flips into four distinctive elements. From the 118-foot (36 m) lift, the train drops 108 feet and barrels into a batwing (two inversions), followed by a rare butterfly element (two more), a classic vertical loop, and a closing double corkscrew. At 56 mph (90 km/h) and pulling up to 3.9 g, it’s a relentless 80 seconds of ride time — a reminder of an era when Vekoma stacked as many inversions as possible onto a compact 950-meter footprint.
A Founding Icon of Parc Astérix
Goudurix is an opening-day original at Parc Astérix in Plailly, France, and for years its tangle of loops served as the park’s visual signature. Its record-setting inversion count stood as a European benchmark until 1995, when newer megaloopers finally surpassed it. The ride’s name is a wink from the source material: in the Astérix comics, Goudurix is the chief’s cowardly nephew — fitting branding for a machine designed to test riders’ nerve.
Retracked and Re-Trained
Age hasn’t been allowed to catch up with Goudurix. The coaster received a complete retracking in 2013, smoothing out the profile while preserving the original layout. Then in 2025, Vekoma returned to install brand-new trains — two trains of seven cars carrying 28 riders each — giving the 1989 veteran a notably more comfortable ride for its fourth decade. Riders must be at least 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) tall.
Seven inversions kept Goudurix near the top of the looping charts for years, though today’s leaders go further — see how it compares on our ranking of the most inversions on a roller coaster.
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FAQ
How many inversions does Goudurix have?
Goudurix has 7 inversions: a batwing, a butterfly, a vertical loop, and a double corkscrew. It jointly held the European inversion record when it opened in 1989.
How tall and how fast is Goudurix?
Goudurix stands 118 feet (36 m) tall with a 108-foot (32.9 m) drop and reaches 56 mph (90 km/h).
Did Goudurix get new trains?
Yes. After a full retracking in 2013, Vekoma fitted Goudurix with completely new trains in 2025, significantly improving ride comfort.
Photo: cnb via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)