THOIRY SAFARI PARK, WHERE THE BEAR AND THE BUFFALO ROAM
by Michelle Bienias
Thoiry is the big African reserve in the Ile de France, near Paris, and Europe’s first wildlife park.. One thousand exotic, healthy and uncaged animals – including white crocodiles, girafes, elephants, lions, tigers, zebra, and antilopes - live a near idlyic life in the huge park of the 1564 Thoiry castle. The castle itself, an exceptonal piece of Renaissance architecture that was completed in one timeperiod and is uniform in design, is open for tours by costumed staff. During the solstice, the Chateau itself becomes transparent as the sun can be seen through windows and is projected onto the solar calendar landscaped into the garden. There are also over 300 acres of gardens with beautiful and rare plants.
click here to view fullscreenThe Wildlife Park, which opened in 1968, was the project of the Viscount de la Panouse, who invested a large part of the family fortune on his revolutionary vision of creating a 20th century Noah’s Arc. He also had to face criticism from established zoologists, who believed the then-novel concept would be impossible to execute. Photographer Denis Gliksman propitiously arrived at the park near feeding time (a diet consisting of watermelon, oranges and pineapples it would seem) and was allowed to get out of his car to shoot the pano (visitors are required to tour through the park remaining in their cars). Gliksman said the bears and buffalo made him feel small and fragile. “When they brought the food, the doctor in charge of the animals had only a wood stick to keep them away. Every animal was turning around waiting for the food and when it came it began to be a little messy. One bear took a big dustbin full of fish, and there was no way to get it back. The buffalos come straight to the food they want, no discussion possible, you move or else. You mostly take care that one doesn't come too close in your back,” he says. It may seem strange that buffalo and bears can coexist peaceably, but the bears fear the buffalo, who are, in fact, more dangerous than the bears. Safari Park, (Le parc Zoologique de ThoiryThoiry is about 40 km west of Paris, on the route to Normandy. The African Reserve, the Maze and the Historical, Botanical and Zoological Gardens are open everyday from 10 am to 6 pm. Be sure to check out the current events section and to contact the Parc if you would like to schedule a custom visit. One should allot a full day to explore the entire park however custom visits are available by the attraction. On a final note, the Parc Thoiry is an educational, historic, and entertaining attraction bundled into one for the entire family, definitely not the type of sight to miss if you have the time to make a visit. Contact Information:
Chateau and Jardins de Thoiry, 78770 Thoiry-en-Yvelines, Tel: +33 (0)1.34.87.53.76
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