Le Pal, Animal theme park in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre, France.
Le Pal is an animal theme park in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre, Allier, combining a zoo of more than 1,000 animals with 31 rides on 50 hectares. Its attractions include Yukon Quad, a launched coaster by Intamin with a one-kilometre track reaching 90 km/h, opened in 2018. The zoo keeps sea lions since 1997, elephants, giraffes, zebras, alligators and big cats such as lions, tigers and snow leopards.
The site began in 1973 as a small zoo with a train and playground. Founder André Charbonnier expanded it in 1981 into a full theme park with rides and larger animal enclosures.
The park takes its name from the hamlet of Le Pal in Dompierre-sur-Besbre, where André Charbonnier opened the zoo in 1973. Its animal collection includes sea lions, present since 1997, and parrots, both featured in shows. The Fondation Le Pal Nature, created in April 2008, funds conservation projects in France and abroad.
The park covers 50 hectares in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre, with the zoo and the rides sharing the grounds; allow a full day to walk between the animal areas and the 31 attractions. The site sits about 25 km from Moulins, the town where founder André Charbonnier sold his cattle-feed factory to finance the zoo. Lodging is only available during the park's operating season.
Visitors can stay in safari-style lodges that offer direct views of African animals such as zebras and springboks grazing in their enclosures. The Le Pal Nature Foundation has supported international biodiversity preservation projects and conducted educational programs about wildlife conservation since 2008.
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