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La Palmyre-Les Mathes
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Zoo de La Palmyre

Zoo de La Palmyre, La Palmyre-Les Mathes: Hours, Address, Zoo de La Palmyre Reviews: 4/5

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Zoo de La Palmyre

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Zoo de La Palmyre
4
5,781
#3 of 6 things to do in La Palmyre-Les Mathes
Zoos
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9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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About
Au cœur de la Côte de Beauté et des plages de Charente-Maritime, à quelques dunes de la ville de Royan, se trouve l’un des parcs zoologiques les plus renommés de France : le Zoo de La Palmyre. Au fil des allées ombragées qui serpentent à travers 18 hectares de pinède, découvrez plus de 1600 mammifères, oiseaux et reptiles de 110 espèces différentes ! Très investi dans sa mission de conservation, le zoo finance de nombreux programmes de protection d’espèces menacées dans leur milieu naturel : orangs-outans et éléphants à Bornéo, lémuriens à Madagascar, manchots du Cap en Afrique du Sud, gorilles et chimpanzés en République Démocratique du Congo, lycaons au Zimbabwe, tamarins lions au Brésil… Fondé en 1966 par Claude et Irène Caillé, le Zoo de La Palmyre est l'un des lieux les plus emblématiques de Charente-Maritime.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
41 within 3 miles
Le Tivoli
525
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • French • European
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Linsolite
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572
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208
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • French • Barbecue
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334
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Attractions
22 within 6 miles
Office de Tourisme de La Palmyre
115
215 ftVisitor Centers
Plage de la Lede
81
304 ftBeaches
Beach of La Palmyre
348
0.5 miBeaches
Phare de la Coubre
465
2.6 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Lighthouses
La Grande Cote
259
3 miBeaches
Le Pont du Diable
531
Geologic Formations
La Cheval Autrement
45
1 miEquestrian Trails
La Côte Sauvage
134
Beaches
Le Puits de l' Auture
80
Piers & Boardwalks
Cabanes à Carrelets - Saint-Palais-sur-Mer
78
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Lookouts
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
5,783 reviews
Excellent
2,762
Very good
1,754
Average
666
Poor
318
Terrible
286
James
Dublin, Ireland2 contributions
Great day out for the family
Family
Great day out with lots to see. Very close up and able to feed many animals like giraffes and ostriches. Seal shows were entertaining and animals all appeared well cared for.
Written June 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
John F
Wexford, Ireland67 contributions
For all the family.
This is a wonderful Zoo for all the family to enjoy. We have visited on many occasions and have been enthralled by the amount of animals in a such a peaceful and natural habitat. It gets very very busy during the summer months, but it can be a welcome break from the sun and beach during your holiday.
Written November 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
J.T.D.G
Amiens, France85 contributions
A nice day
Family
I have been to a lot of zoo's. This one was nice and a lot to see but the animals. Were very spread apart means you have to walk alot. And most of the animals were sleeping and didn't really look happy to be there. The gift shop has a lot of items but. Unless you dont worry about the price.
Written July 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Colinlynn99
Charente-Maritime, France37 contributions
Animals need much more space and stimulation
The zoo is set in lovely gardens.

However, there are many animals that are housed in too small enclosures for them to enjoy their environment. Many areas were dry concrete, a lot with nothing for the animals to do. The big cats pace the enclosure fences. The linx and tiger just lie there looking very bored. Primates enclosures are small some on islands which have climbing facilities. Two hippos share a tiny water area where at anytime only one could occupy. The elephants have a small container in which to get to their food but no other stimulation. They are intelligent creatures and need to keep busy.

There were no staff visible when pelicans attacked a mother duck and ducklings, tossing her in the air and eating at least one duckling in front of a party of tiny 3-4 yr old children whose teachers and helpers threw their bags at them trying to stop the attack.

The food facilities are very basic, and unpalatable food offered,
As an animal lover it’s a shame this facility doesn’t offer more for the animals housed there.
Written June 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helen D
High Peak15 contributions
Popcorn zoo
A unique experience. This zoo encourages feeding its animals popcorn, which is on sale for visitors at the entrance. Some 'animal lovers' took this a stage further, throwing crisps and bread too. There were no animal talks, or advertised feeding times (presumably the animals were too stuffed with junk food from the hordes of visitors to need conventional food). Coupled with huge crowds were very limited food or toilets. Very soon even our young children wanted to leave, which we gladly did. The zoo sends the message that animals are a source of entertainment and feeding them sugary caramel snacks is good animal husbandry. As such it is a unique relic of the last century - no other zoo we have visited has this approach. We left feeling ashamed to have supported the zoo through our entrance fee.
Written August 19, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
6191yen
Dublin, Ireland2 contributions
absolutely disgraceful zoo
Just visited this zoo and thought it was absolutely disgraceful. I visited this zoo twenty years ago and at that time it was state of the art, well kept, interesting enclosures. This time around we left the zoo after about 30 minutes in disgust. The lions were pacing up and down in a tiny enclosure, no grass, no shelter just a sandy enclosure. Most of the enclosures had little or no grass or indeed shelter from the heat for the animals and they lay lifeless as close to the walls as they could in order to get some shelter. The worst enclosure was the hippos and zebras, stuck together in a tiny sandy enclosure - the only shelter was one little tree under which both the hippos tried to hide themselves - the hippos water was only about 2 feet deep. All of the enclosures were the worst I have seen in any zoo I have ever visited, our 11 year old started crying when she saw a monkey in a tiny indoor glass enclosure banging himself repeatedly off the wall!. Disgraceful, we should be ashamed of ourselves for allowing this type of cruelty.
Written July 19, 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1funky
London6 contributions
NO INTEREST IN ANIMAL WELFARE. FOR PROFIT ORGANISATION. ANIMALS CLEARLY IN DISTRESS IN CRAMPED CONDITIONS.
This place should not be visited if you have any care for animals. When you enter the 'zoo' you can buy popcorn (which should be for HUMAN comsumption), but the zoo seems to think it is acceptable to let visitors feed it to the animals in the zoo as the staff are not implementing any rules stopping this. ELEPHANTS AND MEERKATS AND ALL ANIMALS DO NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE EATING SUGARY POPCORN IT IS TOXIC IN THEIR SYSTEMS! I sensed a general lack of staff, and a lack of interest from the staff of the animals. When seeing one of the otters playing with a small bit of metal, trying to chew it, I straight away alerted a member of staff as I knew that it could have lethal consequences if swallowed. After finally finding a thoroughly bored looking member of staff she gave a nonchalant look to me and I never did see her go to help the poor helpless otter. I doubt the innocent creature is still alive, not that any animal would want to be alive in that cell of a prison.

So we carried on wandering through the 'zoo' trying to squeeze past the hordes of other visitors (hoping that they too felt as disgusted as us but they looked like they got so much joy at feeding the animals pop corn and any other junk they had their hands on I very much doubt it) and stumbled across a very sad Polar Bear indeed. His only relief from the boredom of the enclosed space he was forced to live in was to do back flips against the glass side of the aquarium wall. If any of you have no self respect and choose to visit this 'zoo' after reading this review, you too shall probably see this act of despair. I also saw a Polar Bear on the other side of the aquarium, away from the crowds passed out in the sun, it's fur looking limp and showing signs that he had 'given up.' Its's not that warm in the arctic is it?

Need I even go on to describe how horrific it was watching the sealions being forced to perform a 'show' with tacky Euro trash blaring unfavourably loud to the whooping and cheering crowd.

THIS ZOO IS NOT WORTHY OF THE 4.5 STAR RATING IT HAS PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THIS HELL HOLE.
Written August 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Liz C
Gloucester, UK1 contribution
Not for animal lovers.
Couples
I found it really hard to understand why all species of animals are encouraged to eat toffee popcorn?! It's absurd and extremely unnatural.

Lots of clueless people threw all sorts of food at all types of animals and this is surely not good for their diet.

There is a reason that zoos in the UK do not allow you to touch/stroke the animals - because they are wild animals being conserved. I watched as a man literally rocked a rhino with his hands and was shocked to see the lack of respect for such a great animal.

There are no keepers minding the animals/seemingly caring for the animals.

I found it all quite cruel - as other reviews have said.
Written August 20, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jamie-lee B
6 contributions
Horrified. Do not support the abuse.
Family
As lovely as it was to be close to such wonderful creatures I was upset and horrified at the conditions these poor animals are kept in. The polar bear was so ill he dedicated where he was laid and didn’t move. The donkey was so matted he could barely move, we looked under the matts and he had maggots in his eyes. The male lion could barely walk. The tigers and wolves were just empty shells pacing in circles. The elephants swayed on the spot being fed crisps and junk by visitors. The male giraffe was fed a plastic bag by one visitor. The whole time we were there I didn’t see a single member of staff apart from the one selling popcorn to feed the animals, POPCORN?! No fresh water or food visible, the small monkies were so hungry we witnessed them catch and kill a sparrow to eat! And the elephants and hippos were burned from the sun due to no mud being available. Overall I was shocked at what this zoo finds acceptable, it felt like a third world country cashing in on animals suffering, not a country in the EU!!
Written August 30, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dawnpetty
Francestown, NH6 contributions
Hated the filthy pit with the sad Polar Bear
Beautiful zoo in lovely surroundings, very reasonable and you need 3 hours to enjoy everything, however, the last polar bear was in a very sorry state and seemed neglected and forgotten about, he was in filthy conditions and very board with that familiar pacing that caged animals do, he was in a deep concrete pit with nothing to look at, and certainly not in his natural habitat which the zoo are striving to achieve .

Written October 31, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Zoo de La Palmyre
Zoo de La Palmyre is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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