Lyon Zoo, Zoological garden in Tête d'Or Park, France
Lyon Zoo is a free-admission zoo set inside Parc de la Tête d'Or in the north of the city, with animal enclosures spread across a section of the park's green grounds. The enclosures range from open-air paddocks to covered shelters, and pathways connect the different animal areas across a gently rolling landscape.
The zoo opened in 1858 as part of the creation of Parc de la Tête d'Or, making it one of the oldest zoos in France. Over the decades, enclosures have been rebuilt and expanded to follow changes in how animals are kept in captivity.
The zoo sits inside Parc de la Tête d'Or, one of the largest urban parks in France, which means a visit here can easily turn into a full day out in the green surroundings. Many families come on weekends and combine the zoo with a picnic or a boat ride on the park lake nearby.
Entry to the zoo is free, since it sits within a public city park and there is no gate or ticket booth to pass through. Weekday mornings tend to be quieter, as weekends and school holidays draw larger numbers of visitors.
Lyon Zoo is one of the few city zoos in France that has always been free to enter, a policy that dates back to its founding as part of a public park. This makes it one of the rare places in Europe where visitors can walk among giraffes and lions without paying an admission fee.
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