Going on vacation on the south coast of the Landes? 20 minutes from Bayonne and Hossegor, in the heart of the Landes forest, Labenne zoo offers a family adventure close to animals and nature.
An animal adventure close to nature
Located 10 km as the crow flies from our
campsite near Bayonne
Labenne Zoo is a 5-hectare island of nature in the heart of the Landes forest. Since 2012, Véronique Darrieulat and Damien Carles, a Basque-Béarn couple with a passion for nature and the animal world, have been the proud owners of the Labenne animal park. They have chosen to dedicate their lives to animals and to saving them, with the well-being of their residents as their top priority.
In an idyllic setting, surrounded by cork oaks, maritime pines, eucalyptus and arbutus trees, over 200 animals of 60 different species are pampered every day of the year by a team of dedicated caretakers. Ranked as one of the finest zoos in the South West of France, Labenne Zoo welcomes over 70,000 visitors every year. A not-to-be-missed family outing during your camping holiday in the south of the Landes!
Unusual and colorful encounters
You don’t have to go to the other side of the world to get a change of scenery! A visit to Labenne Zoo takes you on a journey through five continents, to meet over 200 animals, from the rarest and most exotic to the most common. Visitors can meet a pack of Canadian wolves, zebras, wallabies and maki cattas, dromedaries, raccoons and alpacas. At the mini-farm, children can get up close to and stroke the dwarf goats, kids, sheep and lambs in their enclosure.
It’s also an opportunity to discover some very surprising species, such as the crested porcupine, the Mara (or Patagonian hare), the third largest rodent on the planet after the Capybara and the Beaver, and to admire a pair of Mandora Ibises (a first in France). In the huge open-air aviary, a wide variety of tropical birds roam freely, offering a colorful spectacle: multicolored parrots, Chilean flamingos, red ibises and many more.
The zoo also features rare species. Some are very difficult to observe in their natural habitat, such as the Moroccan tortoise, the yellow mongoose, the critically endangered Siberian crane and the boreal lynx, Europe’s largest cat. A unique opportunity to see them up close.
Read also:
Discover Labenne’s Marais d’Orx nature reserve in “nature safari” mode
Zoo activities: Soigneur for a day
Enjoy a unique behind-the-scenes experience at Labenne Zoo, where you can share in the day-to-day life of the animal keepers and learn all the qualities required to be a good keeper. The activity is devoted to preparing meals, observing and feeding wolves, fallow deer, pelicans, meerkats and maki cattas. A privileged moment of conviviality and exchange with the animals and their caretakers!
Practical information
- Address: Avenue de l’Océan, 40530 Labenne (15 minutes by car from our 4-star Lou P’tit Poun campsite)
- The zoo is open all year round, every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in high season.
- Adult price / €13.50, 3-11 years / €9.50, free for children under 3.
- Official website: www.zoo-labenne.com
photo credit: pixabay