Discover three large animal parks in Sarthe that will delight children and adults alike. From La Flèche Zoo to Domaine de Pescheray via Spaycific Zoo, Sarthe is the kingdom of animals.
La Flèche Zoo, an emblematic park
La Flèche Zoo is ranked among the top five French zoos in terms of visitor numbers. There are 1,500 animals from five continents in the heart of lush vegetation that naturally contributes to their well-being. It has more than 800 plant species supplemented by waterfalls and bodies of water to recreate atmospheres as close as possible to the natural habitat of animals.
Located in the heart of Sarthe, La Flèche Zoo has been known to everyone since the launch in 2014 of the television series “A Season at the Zoo”. This docu-reality highlights the often misunderstood profession of animal caretaker. It thus testifies to the involvement of the teams in the preservation of biodiversity with the implementation of rare techniques to care for the animals, a research program but also the creation of a crèche for the elephant calves…
Shows and educational activities punctuate the day at the Zoo de La Flèche with the snack of giraffes and hippopotamuses, the diving of polar bears or the spectacle of sea lions and the demonstration of birds in free flight. Other services are also offered such as “one-day caretaker” and “safari lodge” to sleep closer to wild animals.
Spaycific’Zoo, a different zoo
Located in Spay at the gates of Le Mans, Spaycific’Zoo is home to some 600 animals with the particularity of presenting rare and uncommon species in other animal parks. There are animals with intriguing names such as the Australian dingo, the Asian leopard cat, the kinkajou, the jaguarundi or the wallaby.
In the park, certain animals evolve inside enclosures in which the public can enter to approach them discreetly (lemurs, wallabies…).
The immersive aviaries in turn allow better observation of certain birds such as pelicans, sacred ibis, storks and marabous.
The children will be delighted to feed the parakeets!
All along the route, “click-clack” panels for children offer an easy way to learn while having fun. A dozen educational games punctuate the tour circuit and allow you to compare yourself to the animals. There is also an educational mini-farm with dwarf goats, geese, sheep and pigs. The mostly local vegetation and natural waterways attract many butterflies, dragonflies, frogs and herons.
The Domaine de Pescheray, a zoo in the forest
The Pescheray Zoological Park in Le Breil-sur-Mérize has 90 hectares of unspoiled nature where you walk on forest paths. It presents mammals and wild birds native to Europe, but also species from other regions of the world.
Discover the European elk, the Alpine ibex, the golden jackal and other tayra in a large wooded natural park where it is good to walk. We discover a pack of wolves evolving in semi-freedom, but also lynxes and brown bears. The park works more specifically to save the European bison, an endangered species that is now protected.
Pescheray Zoo is also home to around thirty domestic species in its World Farm, some of which are endangered.
This small farm will delight children with its goats, pigs, sheep and ponies.
Along the route, a “24 hour green” pedal go-kart track will amuse the youngest as much as the adults!
