Review of Zoo de La Palmyre, near Royan in the Charente

Nestled in the heart of ‘Côte de Beauté’, just a stone’s throw away from the beautiful beaches of the Charente Maritime, is the Zoo de La Palmyre. It is actually located close to the town of Royan. This area, and the zoo itself, makes for a fun day out for ‘children’ of all ages. The grandparents in our party enjoyed themselves just as much as the 5 year old!

The zoo is open all year round from 9am to 7pm. As you enter it may appear deceptively small but, in fact, it is one of the most important zoological gardens in Europe, home to over 1600 animals.

As we’ve so often found in France, things seem to be more laid back than in the UK. You can get surprisingly close to most of the animals which makes the experience so much more enjoyable, especially for the youngsters. The youngest member of our party was terribly excited to be within a foot of a Jackass penguin and to be able to actually pet the nose of a giraffe. A great photo opportunity!

It’s possible to spend the best part of a day strolling through the extensive grounds, watching the antics and behaviour patterns of the various animals. As you enter, you’re greeted by the flamingos and you soon discover the comical Asian otters and the magnificent Siberian tigers. From Easter until the beginning of November there are several afternoon shows, worth finding the time for. The sea lions take great delight in showing off their incredible agility and intelligence. If the kids fancy a cool down, then get them to stand by the side of the pool! Then it’s just a short stroll around the corner to catch the parrots’ and cockatoos’ performance. Just follow the sounds of their screeching and squawking, if you’re not sure how to get there. The monkey section takes up a fair bit of the park and ranges from the huge Gorillas and Orang-Utans to the smallest monkey of all, the Pygmy Marmoset. There is also a Reptile House, with various crocodiles and snakes. Just past this, are the tortoises of all shapes and sizes. They often lumber up to the fence, making you wonder just who is looking at who! Nearby, the children can actually climb into the goats’ enclosure and have fun petting them.

There are various souvenir shops as well as a bar and crêperie, should you get peckish. However, the toilet facilities are typically French! Overall, we all thought the zoo was good value for money, at 14 euros for adults and 10 euros for children. It’s easy to get to and has lots of parking. If you have time afterwards, it is also very close to the beach. Keeping a party of various ages happy isn’t always easy but the Zoo de La Palmyre proved just the ticket!

www.zoo-palmyre.fr
Tel: 00 (33)5 46 22 46 06