Zoo La Barben, Animal park in La Barben, France
Zoo La Barben is an animal park in Provence that houses about 700 animals from roughly 130 species, living in natural enclosures and oak woodland areas. The grounds feature open spaces mixed with shaded forest paths, where visitors can encounter a wide range of creatures from different climates.
The park began as a regional conservation center focused on protecting endangered animal species through specialized breeding programs. This conservation mission has remained central to the park's operations since its founding.
Daily keeper presentations show how animals behave and interact with their caretakers, creating direct moments of connection between visitors and wildlife. These sessions reveal the personalities and habits of different species as people watch up close.
The park can be explored through a network of about 9 kilometers of paths that wind through Mediterranean vegetation past various animal enclosures. Good walking shoes are advisable since the terrain has some slopes and much of the experience involves being on foot.
The park is home to creatures like tigers, elephants, and Komodo dragons that normally live in very different environments around the world. Getting to see these rare animals in a European setting offers an unusual chance to observe species that most visitors would rarely encounter otherwise.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.