THE GUIDE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM 2021


as Siberian tigers, snow panthers, lynxes and Asian lions, while the 21ha Terre de Singes is all about the monkeys. Price reductions apply if you buy tickets for both. www.parcs-zoologiques-lumigny.fr


Birding France Birding France is an


Canoeing can be more than just a fun day out – make this eco-friendly way to travel the basis for your itinerary


Camargue and the Gulf of Aigues-Mortes).


The following companies hire out boats at various locations around France. www.franceafloat.com www.locaboat.com www.french-waterways.com www.boat-renting-nicols.co.uk www.cruisefrance.com


Canoeing trips


The Meuse is one of France’s mightiest rivers. Rising in the Haute-Marne it snakes its way northwards through Verdun, Sedan and Charleville-Mézières, before crossing Belgium and the Netherlands into the North Sea. There are many opportunities to canoe the French section in the Meuse département, under the Rand’eau Meuse banner. “The fauna and flora are marvellous, and the discoveries unexpected,” says the tourist office. “Kingfishers, herons, water rats and even beavers on the banks. The Meuse valley is an exceptional refuge for birds.” www.lameuse.fr


EXPERIENCE NATURE From safari parks and aquaria to nature reserves and bird sanctuaries, France has the space and the climate to accommodate a whole host of


136 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Apr/May 2021


different animals – some native to l’Hexagone, others from much further afield.


Planète Sauvage


Just 15 minutes’ drive from the city of Nantes, this 80ha safari park is home to 1,100 animals of 120 different species. You can even stay the night in a wooden lodge right next to the giraffes. An overnight stay means you’re allowed to hand-feed the lemurs the following morning. www.planetesauvage.com


Zoo Plaisance du Touch This zoological park, not far from Toulouse, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The newest residents to join the party are Automne, a nyala antelope born in November last year, and Koba, a kob antelope born early this year. www.zoo-africansafari.com


Safari de Peaugres


The highlight of this safari park, in Peaugres, just short of 70km south of Lyon, is the walking enclosure where visitors can amble freely among the lemurs, parrots, wallabies, macaws, alpacas and goats. “An immersive experience where both humans and animals are equally curious about each


other,” is how the owners lovingly describe it. www.safari-peaugres.com


Les Loups de Gévaudan They claim it’s the biggest wolf park in Europe, and with over 100 wolves living across 20ha, that’s perfectly feasible. You can stay in one of the gîtes on site, or if you’re really brave you can sleep in one of the four “wolf’s lairs” which are so close to the four-legged residents that they can lick your bedroom window as they prowl past. www.loupsdugevaudan.com


Parcs Zoologiques Lumigny There are two zoological parks on this site near Lumigny, 60km east of Paris: the 71ha Parc des Félins is home to big cats such


ornithological group aimed at encouraging people to get twitching in France’s regional nature parks. Their website will point you to destinations all over the country where you might spot feathered friends. British birder and author Dominic Couzens is an ambassador for the group. “It might seem like a hop across the Channel to France, but as far as wildlife is concerned, it’s a leap,” he says. “France is the gateway to exotic flamingos, bee-eaters, golden orioles and many more, with corners boasting large populations of turtle doves, red-backed shrikes and cirl buntings – a throwback to a rural Britain long past.” www.birdingfrance.info


Parc du Marquenterre It’s no overstatement to say this is one of France’s finest bird sanctuaries. Spread across 200ha of dunes, forests and marshland, at various times of the year it’s home to 300 or so species including storks, avocets, spoonbills, egrets, curlews, herons, oyster- catchers, and just about every duck you care to think of. The high point of the visit offers a sweeping vista of tall trees ❯❯


Get to know your feathered friends at the Parc naturel régional du Perche


IMAGES © NICOLAS GORNAS, F. PICANDET


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