La Palmyre Zoo
La Palmyre Zoo: guided tour
Zoo de la Palmyre is a charming zoological park located in Les Mathes, near Royan. If you leave from our Île de Ré campsite, it will take you about an hour and a half to get there.
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And allow at least half a day to enjoy all the wonders it has to offer: the park covers 18 hectares! La Palmyre Zoo was founded in 1966 by Claude Caillé.
Today, it’s still a family business run by his children. In over 50 years, it has become one of France’s most popular tourist sites and most renowned zoos.
At La Palmyre Zoo, you’ll have the pleasure of discovering 115 different animal species, from the best-known to the most astonishing: carnivores (tigers, lions, cheetahs), mammals (sea lions, polar bears), reptiles (turtles, crocodiles), birds (pink flamingos, trumpeter hornbills), primates (ourangutans, gorillas) and ungulates (giraffe, rhinoceros).
Shows at the zoo
The Zoo also offers a sea lion show and a parrot show that will make the eyes of young and old sparkle. As well as bringing children’s favorite animals “out of the books”, the zoo is also working to combat animal extinctions.
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Thanks to numerous programs to safeguard, raise awareness, reproduce, conserve and conduct research.
Every year, the zoo records a large number of births, a sign of the well-being and care given to all the animals.
Don’t hesitate to visit the Palmyre zoo during your vacation at Camping les Varennes! Tip: pack a picnic!
Other ideas for visits in the Zoo area: The towns of La Tremblade and Ronce-les-Bains, with the state forest of La Coubre (ideal for cycling) and the lighthouse of the same name. And Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, with its Belles Epoques villas and cabanes à carrelets.
The challenges facing La Palmyre Zoo
La Palmyre Zoo is renowned for its commitment to preserving endangered animal species.
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The zoo is particularly active in the following areas:
- Educating the public about the environment
- Safeguarding biodiversity
- Scientific research to protect animals and the planet.
La Palmyre Zoo: practical information
La Palmyre Zoo is open daily from 9am to 7pm between April 1 and September 30, and from 9am to 6pm between October 1 and March 31. The average visit lasts 4 hours.
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Please note that dogs are not allowed in the zoo. The park is accessible to disabled visitors, and parking spaces reserved for the disabled are located in parking lot P1.
Feeding the animals in the park is strictly forbidden, as every caretaker will tell you.
You’ll find plenty of places to eat in the park.
Entrance to the park closes approximately 1 h 30 before closing time.
Don’t hesitate to meet the residents of La Palmyre Zoo during your stay at the 4-star Les Varennes campsite on the Ile de Ré!