originally posted on 8/4/2025
Photo: S. Cambon. View full-sized image.
New wooden coasters are rather rare nowadays, unfortunately for coaster enthusiasts. But there’s nothing like a woodie to cause an ACEer to see if they can fit a park visit into future travels.
In the United States, there were no new wooden coasters to entice fans in 2025, but of the rare ones opening worldwide, a snazzy, little number is stampeding into France. La Mer de Sable (Ermenonville) is approximately an hour northwest of Paris. While the park has been open since 1963, it has existed under the radar for most Americans. But a new wooden coaster puts it on the map.
New wood coasters are still a thing — it’s just that enthusiasts have to travel outside of North America to find them lately.
Photo: S. Cambon. View full-sized image.
Wild Buffalo is a rollicking woodie that takes advantage of a sloped hillside in the park. Technically, the physical height is just shy of 49 feet. But when factoring in the terrain, it’s an elevation difference of 74 feet, just tall enough to bring big thrills to a family audience.
Built by Great Coasters International, Inc., Wild Buffalo speeds through its course at 41 mph. The length, while not huge at 1,643 feet, still delivers a ride about 60 seconds long — and it’s all action.
Wild Buffalo operates with two Millennium Flyer trains.
Photo: S. Cambon. View full-sized image.
Two Millennium Flyer trains, each seating 12 riders, are adorned with a buffalo head on the front grill.
The layout of the ride has pops of airtime and several directional changes and curves. A highlight is darting under an overhead walkway — twice.
With modest specifications, the coaster appeals to riders of all experience levels.
Photo: S. Cambon. View full-sized image.
Coaster fans can appreciate the theming. The station is cleverly decorated with wooden stalls, saddle blankets, metal buckets and wicker troughs, along with upside-down wooden barrels serving as light fixtures. It captures a farmhouse feel perfectly. The sculptural ID in front of the entrance has a charging buffalo figure, wooden letters and rock base, making for an impressive entrance for a park of this size.
To build the wooden coaster, the park used a vacant spot from a retired attraction that was removed more than 15 years ago, so nothing was taken out to add Wild Buffalo to the lineup.
La Mer de Sable’s coaster lineup also features Silver Mountain — a Vekoma junior coaster — and a Mack Wild Mouse called Tiger Express.
Photo: courtesy La Mer de Sable. View full-sized image.
Photo: courtesy La Mer de Sable. View full-sized image.
Wild Buffalo is the fourth coaster at the park. Others are Tiger Express, a Mack Wild Mouse (2011); Bandidos, an SBF-Visa spinning coaster (2016); and Silver Mountain, a Vekoma junior coaster (2021).
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News
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