Animal parks in Alsace

Want to visit a wildlife park in Alsace? We’re lucky enough to have a wide variety of beautiful animal parks in the region: from zoos to educational farms, farm animals to the more unusual, you’ll be spoilt for choice. There’s plenty to keep kids and parents alike happy. Yes, these parks generally have an educational objective: it’s not just the little ones who learn something on these visits! To guide you, here are ourideas for visits and our reviews of various wildlife parks in the region. And if you’re more interested in flora than fauna, check out our article on parks and gardens in Alsace.

Monkey Mountain – For young and old alike

The Montagne des Singes at Kintzheim in Alsace is truly one of the region’s must-see animal parks, and my personal favorite. This park offers a unique up-close experience with over 200 free-ranging Barbary macaques. This isn’t a classic zoo: there are no cages here, and the animals have 24 hectares to roam freely. In addition to theplayful interaction via the popcorn distributed at the entrance, the park has a conservation mission for this endangered species. An ideal visit for all, young and old, lasting about 2 hours…or a little longer! Nearby, don’t miss the Volerie des Aigles, mentioned below, and the Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg. Don’t hesitate to read my article dedicated to Monkey Mountain for more info.

Naturoparc – Preserving the region’s biodiversity

Located in Hunawihr, Alsace, NaturOparC is a wildlife park dedicated to conservation and raising awareness of biodiversity. Founded in 1976, it has successfully reintroduced storks and otters to Alsace, and now focuses on the Alsatian Grand Hamster. With more than 200 specimens of various species, the park offers an enriching educational experience, complemented by explanatory panels and animations held by passionate carers. The tour, which takes around 2 hours, is a mix of learning and relaxation, with fun activities to boot. Not to be missed during your stay in Alsace! Read my article dedicated to Naturoparc for more information.

Volerie des Aigles – Watching birds of prey

Located right next to the Montagne des Singes, the Volerie des Aigles is also a must-see animal park in Alsace and an ideal place for families. Located in the ruins of the medieval castle of Kintzheim, the aviary was founded in 1968 with a dual aim: conservation and education. Home to over 70 species of birds of prey, including endangered species, the 40-minute show features free-flying displays of these majestic birds, with many fascinating explanations. Don’t hesitate to read my article on the visit to the Volerie des Aigles for more information.

Zoo de Mulhouse – Zoological and botanical park

Visit
Mulhouse Zoo
is a huge park covering 25 hectares in Mulhouse. It is in fact not only a zoo but a zoological and botanical park, since it also has large areas reserved for trees and flowers.

It is one of the must-sees in Alsace for children. Many rare and endangered species of animals can be seen there. The park is very pleasant: we walk around, discovering new animals at the bend of a path. There is also a “petting zoo” section, where you can approach and pet farm animals.

I especially enjoyed watching one of the polar bears playing in the water with a tire and an old bucket. Putting his head in, taking them in his paws, going to look for them at the bottom of the water… The bear seemed to have a good time, which made the show incredible, especially since it is possible to observe the bear in the water while being stuck against the glass. Impressive!

I advise you to arrive at the opening of the zoo, so you can observe the animals quietly. It is also easier to take pictures when there are not many people around. Count at least 2 hours for the visit, it is large and you will probably remain like me in adoration a long time in front of some animals!

Parc animalier de Sainte-Croix – Animals and unusual accommodation

For this animal park, I’m taking you not to Alsace but to Lorraine. Don’t worry, it’s not far and it’s really worth it! The Sainte-Croix animal park is indeed a rather exceptional place…

A hundred species of animals

Imagine a huge 120-hectare park in the heart of the Lorraine Regional Nature Park, home to some 1,500 animals of around 100 different species. Here, no tiny cages but very large enclosures to accommodate the animals.

Among the most famous residents of the park are wolves, deer, red pandas, wolverines, bears, lynxes… But there are also more “classic” animals like farm animals, for example.

Five different universes

The park is organized around five universes: the New World, Neo’s Journey (a trail dedicated to the world’s biodiversity), the European Animal Trail, Wolf Stories and Gerald’s Farm.

The universes have signposted trails, but you can wander freely in the park: there’s nothing to stop you moving from one to the other as you please! I particularly liked the environment of the park: you feel like you are walking in a forest! There are plenty of little activities for the kids along the way (and the older kids can learn a few things too!).

You can even get close to some of the animals, such as the dwarf goats that you can brush… As a bonus, many activities are offered in the park. I attended two of them and really learned a lot about animals and their environment: very interesting!

Unusual accommodations

The Parc de Sainte-Croix proposes to sleep in different unusual accommodations: yurts, tree houses or even accommodations with a view on deers or wolves! Yes, you read that right! I had the chance to sleep in one of the lodges of the Grands Cerfs, and could admire from my terrace a huge herd of deer, fallow deer and mouflons living in semi-liberty. Drinking your coffee in the morning while watching these animals is really a magical moment…

The accommodations at Parc de Sainte-Croix are comfortable yet environmentally friendly. Wood and canvas structure, comfortable bed, dry toilets, and lots of nice little details to put you in the mood: deer everywhere (bedspread, coat hook, dishes…), books on nature and animals, explanations on the use of dry toilets… Very nice!

The unusual accommodations of the Sainte-Croix Animal Park are very busy, so I advise you to book early: to sleep in front of the wolves, you can have to wait a year and a half…

Ferme pédagogique du Luppachof – Discover life on a farm

The Luppachhof is located in Bouxwiller, in the Sundgau, in the south of Alsace (not to be confused with the other Bouxwiller located in the Bas-Rhin!). We are here at the foot of the Alsatian Jura, in a very beautiful natural setting.

The Luppachhof, educational farm and organic farm

The Luppachhof is made up of two entities working together: an organic farm and an association, La Clé des Champs, which develops activities to raise awareness and educate about the environment and food.

The farm welcomes school groups as well as private individuals for the (very) numerous activities that are organized there. This makes it a very interesting place if you are looking for activities to do with children in the area!

Discovering life on the farm

The Luppachhof has all the farm animals you could wish for: cows, goats, pigs, chickens, geese, ducks, donkeys, rabbits… Something to delight the young and old (because let’s face it, it’s adorable even for adults!). There is also a vegetable garden cultivated in permaculture.

The visit of the educational farm can be done freely: many panels of explanations are there to allow to learn more about the life of the animals, the nature and the life in the farm. Depending on the day, guided tours are also offered, which is even better in my opinion because you have a guide who provides a lot of information and you can ask all the questions you want.

In addition to these visits, the Luppachhof offers regular activities and animations such as a brunch at the farm, a walk with donkeys or the milking of goats… There’s plenty to choose from!

It is possible to buy the products of the dairy farm on the spot: cheese is indeed made directly on the farm, and you can buy yoghurts as well as sheep, cow or goat cheese. They are really delicious!

An educational visit

I enjoyed this farm tour, which I think is an important step ineducating children (and adults!) about food. Many people do not know how the product on their plate was produced, which is unfortunate and can lead to poor choices. Understand how everything is made, learn about the decisions that are made in terms of breeding, better understand the various issues of a more environmentally friendly agriculture … This is really interesting and I enjoyed it during my exchanges at the Luppachhof!

Parc Friedel – Free wildlife park in Alsace

Just 15 minutes from Strasbourg, the Parc animalier Friedel in Illkirch is a small urban oasis that invites you to take a family walk among animals in semi-liberty.

This public park covers 2 hectares and, good news, is open free of charge! With nearly 180 animals, including 70 birds, it’s the perfect place for an interactive educational experience for the whole family.

Young and old alike can not only observe but also pet the goats, donkeys and sheep that roam freely. There are also penned animals, such as rabbits and chickens, and even more unusual species like llamas and turtles. The park has educational panels and a team of carers on hand to answer any questions.

The icing on the cake is a play area, making the Friedel Animal Park an ideal educational mini-farm for a fun day out with the kids just a stone’s throw from Strasbourg!

Cigoland – Amusement and wildlife park

Cigoland is both an amusement park and a wildlife park. It is located in Kintzheim (the same village as the Volerie des Aigles). Animals can be seen in various parts of the park.

These are mostly local animals (including famous storkThere’s also a small museum dedicated to the stork, where you can learn more about this emblematic Alsatian animal.

Other wildlife parks to discover

We haven’t tried them out (yet!), but here are some other wildlife parks that might interest you:

• Jardin des Papillons, dedicated to butterflies as its name suggests. It is located in Hunawihr (the same village as Naturoparc).
• Ferme aux Rennes in Stosswihr, to feel like you’re in Lapland for a visit!
• Mundenhof Wildlife Park in Freiburg, Germany. It’s free to use, and only the parking lot is chargeable.

Map of wildlife parks in Alsace