Relais Nature de Jouy-Vélizy, Petting zoo and wildlife education center in Jouy-en-Josas, France
Relais Nature de Jouy-Vélizy is an educational center with a petting zoo located on the grounds of a former castle estate near Paris. The site spreads across meadows, lawns, woodlands, and small ponds that create a natural setting for visitors to explore.
Founded in 1978, this environmental education facility gradually became a center that draws thousands of visitors annually. Over the decades, the site has developed into an established venue for nature discovery programs and hands-on learning.
The name combines the two nearby villages and reflects its role as a meeting point between people and nature that visitors experience firsthand. Today it functions as a place where children and adults encounter animals closely and explore the natural world in direct, hands-on ways.
The best time to visit is outside school holidays when it is less crowded, and it helps to check what programs are happening on your chosen day. The grounds are easy to explore on foot, and comfortable shoes are recommended since the terrain includes hills and open meadows.
The facility offers around 250 activity days each year covering more than 30 different educational themes. These varied programs allow visitors to discover new aspects of nature and animal life each time they return.
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