Ranked in the top 5 of the most beautiful animal parks in France, La Flèche Zoo brings together 1,500 animals from five continents. Filming location of the television program “A Season at the Zoo”, it remains an essential tourist site in Sarthe.
A Season at the Zoo, the TV series that made it successful
The animal park of La Flèche, in the heart of Sarthe, has been the filming location for the television series “A Season at the Zoo” since 2014. This docu-reality broadcast on France 4 highlights the often misunderstood profession of animal caretaker.
The show follows the daily lives of La Flèche Zoo employees such as Cyril, the veterinarian, Anthony, the animal manager, Bérénice the head of the aquatic complex, Charlotte and Aurélie the caretakers. We discover their unique relationship with animals, whether Quintana and Aron the couple of polar bears, Kiboko the hippopotamus, Tanguy the sea lion or even the armadillos Lady and Gaga.
If each year the film crew invests the Zoo of La Flèche for two months, they also go around the world to meet other caretakers sensitive to animal protection to share their know-how. The show broke audience records with peaks at over 700,000 viewers.
160 species of animals to discover
Located 50 km south of Le Mans, La Flèche Zoo extends over a huge wooded park of 18 hectares.
Plan a full day to observe the zoo’s 1,500 residents at your own pace, from the lagoons of flamingos in Chile to elephants in Africa.
Discover the animals of the Far North, polar bears, arctic wolves and Siberian grizzly bears. They benefit from a new habitat of one hectare punctuated by rivers and basins. Enter the savannah to meet white lions, giraffes, cheetahs, elephants and hippos, legendary figures of the great African plains.
With 400,000 visitors per year , La Flèche Zoo remains an emblematic park that combines animal well-being, biodiversity conservation, education and public amazement.
Every year, nearly 100 babies are born at La Flèche Zoo!
In the South American aviary of more than 1,000 m2 , toucans and scarlet ibis rub shoulders with tapirs and large anteaters. Set off to meet the mythical species of Asia such as the Indian rhinoceros, the Sumatran tiger or the magnificent Bali starling, one of the rarest and most endangered birds in the world.
Activities at La Flèche Zoo
Become a keeper for a day, sleep in a safari lodge, attend the feeding of the animals or an educational demonstration: there is no shortage of activities at La Flèche Zoo!
Fun events all year round
Throughout the year, attend the snack of penguins or hippopotamuses, the diving of polar bears or the presentation of reptiles. Each week, a program of playful meetings allows you to discover the world of animals in the zoo.
Sea lion shows and bird demonstrations
Every day from Easter to All Saints’ Day, you can attend California sea lion shows and demonstrations of birds in free flight. From somersaults to aquatic prowess, the stars of the pool welcome you to the heart of Marine World. From the amphitheater overlooking the Loir Valley, admire the skill and speed of the birds of prey: vultures, falcons and fish eagles.
Become a keeper for a day at La Flèche Zoo
Spend half a day in the company of one of the zookeepers to observe all the facets of the profession. Go behind the scenes of the La Flèche zoo and take part in the cleaning, enrichment, meal preparation and feeding of the animals. You will choose from two animal sectors between carnivores, herbivores, primates, birds and reptiles.
The Safari Lodge, an unusual night immersed in animals
Spend the night in a unique and prestigious lodge immersed in wild animals. The Safari Lodge reserves 20 accommodations in an exceptional private setting in the heart of La Flèche Zoo. Choose to sleep facing cheetahs, African lions, polar bears or lemurs to experience an unforgettable family moment!
