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In the region, when you think of an animal park, you immediately think of La Palmyre Zoo and its 1,600 animals. And yet, ideally located between Niort and Saint Jean d’Angély, 50 minutes from the Charente coast, there’s a hidden gem in Chizé Forest that’s well worth a visit: Zoodyssée. Let’s head to Deux-Sèvres for a delightful visit to this estate!
Villiers-en-Bois, here we come! Contrary to appearances, getting to Zoodyssée, in the south of Deux-Sèvres, is easy. It takes about 45 minutes from La Rochelle and less than an hour from the coastal campsites. The icing on the cake is that the journey to Chizé Forest offers magnificent scenery, through the Charente countryside, its typical villages, and its cut-stone houses.
We arrive at the site, deep in Chizé Forest, which offers a welcome coolness during hot summer days. Nearby, we discover hiking trails, including the GR36, which cross the state-owned forest, mainly composed of beech trees. Legend has it that Mélusine, the fairy of Poitou, passed through here…
“Zoodyssée showcases the richness of European wildlife”
While the animal park is popular, it’s not overcrowded, which is quite pleasant during peak season. As we begin our visit, we already feel that this forest setting is soothing and calm. We’re sure to have a great day!
Zoodyssée is a thematic animal park. It promotes European wildlife, whether the species are endemic or were introduced by humans over the past centuries. Naturally, this brings to mind the famous coypu, originally from America but now present in the marshes.
With over 800 animals on site and nearly 150 newcomers each year, we are quickly impressed by the richness and diversity of species present on our continent. And sometimes, we even get a little worried when facing the large lizards or snakes in the vivarium!
A mini-farm also allows visitors to get closer to more familiar animals and pet the famous Poitou goats. A photo for Instagram, it’s the day’s super cute moment. Wolves, lynx, otters, deer, bison, elk…the enclosures, often very large, pass before our eyes. More than just a visit, it’s a magnificent stroll through this wooded setting. A zookeeper passes by and shares some anecdotes with us, like about this very rare wildcat that appears before us.
“What? Are there monkeys in Europe?”
After 3 hours of visiting, we reach the end of the route and discover the family of Barbary macaques or Gibraltar macaques. What, monkeys in Europe? We’re told they crossed the Mediterranean a very long time ago… In any case, they are endangered, which highlights Zoodyssée’s commitment to the preservation and conservation of several species: the European Mink, the European Pond Turtle, or the Little Bustard.
The day ends, and we learn that the zoo will soon undergo a significant transformation: By 2022, nine new themed areas will be created (forest, mountain, overseas territories, countryside…) and will welcome new animals, with bears and jaguars as guest stars…
With this information in hand, we’ve decided we’ll be back soon to the ‘new’ Zoodyssée. By then, the baby elk will have grown quite a bit, and we can’t wait to see them again!
