Secrets Hunters revisits the Belle Époque fairground world with a 60-minute investigation designed for groups. Open to players aged 8 and up, La Fête Foraine Tivoli can bring together up to nine players in a single game. We tested it, here’s everything you need to know!
On the place de la Nation, in Paris's 12th arrondissement, Secrets Hunters welcomes players who love vintage rides and a wide range of games with La Fête Foraine Tivoli, an escape game inspired by the fêtes foraines of the Belle Époque. Open to ages 8 and up, this 60-minute adventure brings together 3 to 9 participants in a single team, tackling a case spread across several successive spaces.
What does this adventure have in store?
The story is set in 1906, after a traveling fair vanished along with several people. Players must uncover what happened by moving from one area to another, using clues, puzzles, and interactive elements built into the scenery.
The setting borrows the look and feel of vintage amusement parks, with games and mechanics that echo that atmosphere. Since its overhaul in 2025, the flow of play has been redesigned to better distribute actions among players and keep a steady rhythm throughout the game.
Following the game master's briefing, the team has one hour to crack the mystery. The room accommodates three to nine players in a single session. Multiple people can search, manipulate, or solve clues in parallel, so the group doesn’t need to split up.
The experience can be tailored to the profile of the participants. A family with children, a group trying escape rooms for the first time, or more seasoned players won’t necessarily face the same level of difficulty. The room features no actors and does not rely on horror elements, even if a few surprise moments punctuate the course.
This adventure is ideal for a night out with friends, a birthday, a stag do, a hen do or a small-group team-building session. Families can also join in with children as young as eight, as the puzzles and intensity are adjusted when younger players participate.
The format also lets groups stay together from start to finish. Up to nine players can tackle the same mission, so there’s no need to book multiple rooms or split up across different time slots.
Our take on Tivoli Fair at Secrets Hunters:
An escape game we got to test... On arrival, the team welcomes you, explains what it’s about, and hands you a time device—a sort of customized smartphone to receive clues and exit the room safely at the end (for the record). Then off to briefing for a quick run-through of the rules. And the adventure begins.
Our verdict:
Make sure everyone’s punctual: the email instructions require it to enter (you’re given a keypad code), and it becomes even trickier with a big group (the room fits 3 to 9 people; we were eight). So avoid delays. The venue is well located (though tucked behind a heavy door, there’s a plaque nearby), so there’s no risk of getting lost.
As for the room itself, you’re dropped straight into the theme: first, you’ll have to restore power to the funfair to open the gates and figure out what’s going on. The first chamber is fairly spacious, great for larger groups. The subsequent rooms are a bit tighter, and some players might be tempted to take a break and let others drive the progress, given the claustrophobic feel and the tasks at hand. We therefore recommend splitting up the puzzles so everyone participates, unless you’re deliberately looking to pause.
On the puzzle front, they’re sufficiently challenging: not too easy, not overly complex... Everyone finds something to enjoy. Some bits will still give you a small headache, so don’t press pause on your brain too long.
One of the biggest strengths is the “fairground” section, where you actually get to play to earn tokens. Horse racing, duck fishing, ball tossing, candy stands... Regulars of the carnival will feel right at home. You’ll even get a photo opportunity at a cheeky photo-saver stand.
Our tip? Split up into small teams: two people on the ball-touncing (great aim helps), two on the horse race (share the balls between these two games), two on the duck fishing, and, if you’re eight, two on the candy stand (or mix and match as needed). The idea is to save time later and maximize your chances of closing the case within the allotted time.
You now know everything there is to know about the room. One last heads-up: at the end, something might make you jump, but it’s not genuinely scary (we did have a loud scream from one teammate). Short of literally stuffing your ears, there isn’t much else we can tell you about that moment.
All that’s left is to come experience it for yourself!
A retro carnival turned into a crime scene
Here, it’s not enough to simply string together locks and codes. The room also features several carnival-inspired games, with challenges that push you to observe, think, and manipulate the surroundings as you progress through the route.
This retro backdrop breaks with the usual heists and secret laboratories. At Secrets Hunters, the carnival becomes the stage for a team-led investigation, blending mystery with dexterity challenges.
This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.
Location Secrets Hunters 17 Place de la Nation 75011Paris 11 Route planner Access
RER A or metro lines 1, 2, 6 or 9 "Nation" station
Prices
Par personne, équipe de 5 joueurs: €33
Par personne, équipe de 6 joueurs: €33
Par personne, équipe de 7 joueurs: €33
Par personne, équipe de 8 joueurs: €33
Par personne, équipe de 9 joueurs: €33
Par personne, équipe de 4 joueurs: €36
Par personne, équipe de 3 joueurs: €48
