This highest French award, presented personally by the French President, honours the commitment of Michael Mack and his father Roland to Franco-German friendship and their visionary family commitment that led to the creation of Europa-Park.

Emmanuel Macron described the Mack family as “great friends of France”, highlighting the remarkable success of their company over the decades, which has set itself the goal of promoting cohesion between the two nations. Under the leadership of Roland and Michael Mack, Europa-Park, one of the best theme parks in the world, has gradually become a truly Franco-German company. Almost a quarter of the park’s 5,250 employees are French and more than 1.4 million French people visited the park in 2024. In total, Europa-Park has welcomed around 40 million French visitors in its 50-year history.

With the opening of MACK One France in 2022 in the south of the Eurometropolis of Strasbourg, Michael Mack has created an innovation centre that brings together the marketing, communication and sales activities of the Mack Group in the French market and focuses on the development of creative solutions in innovative technology.

Roland and Michael Mack have also initiated numerous cultural and sporting events and encounters with their neighbouring country. The annual Euro-Musique Festival, for example, creates and maintains musical friendships on both sides of the border, while the Alsace Day celebrates the strong ties with the neighbouring region.

In Hartmannswiller, on the Alsace Wine Route, the Mack family has also taken over a traditional vineyard and recently opened the restaurant ‘Amitié – La Cuisine du Château’, a clear symbol of Franco-German friendship.

Last but not least, the Mack family’s social commitment through their activities in favour of disadvantaged and disabled people is also worth mentioning: In recent years, more than a million French people have been able to visit Europa-Park free of charge.

On receiving this highest honour, the Honorary Consul said: “Franco-German friendship is a pillar of stability and trust. Europe needs a clear vision for the future, and our border region offers many opportunities for this. This is why my appointment as a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour fills me with pride and encourages me to intensify our efforts to promote cross-border cooperation”.

Further information:
VEEJOY – Höchste französische Auszeichnung für Roland und Michael Mack

Back to overview