i 🎢 Parks & family fun
Wildlife and animal parks in the Grand Est and Alsace
The wildlife parks of the Grand Est favour European species and wide wooded spaces. In Moselle, the Parc de Sainte-Croix spreads over 130 hectares, home to more than 1,500 animals of 130 species roaming in semi-freedom, wolves, bears, lynx and bison included. At Kintzheim, at the foot of Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, the Montagne des Singes (Monkey Mountain) lets more than 200 Barbary macaques roam freely through a 24-hectare forest, while the Volerie des Aigles flies birds of prey and vultures among the ruins of a castle. In the Ardennes, Argonne Découverte follows its wolf packs and Charleville-Mézières offers a free animal walk.
To choose, think first about how much time you have: Sainte-Croix is a full-day visit, while the Montagne des Singes and the Volerie des Aigles take around two hours each, so you can do both in the same day at Kintzheim. Then check the calendar: most parks close in winter or cut back their opening days, except the free park at Charleville, open every afternoon all year round. Finally, leave your dog at home: dogs are banned at Sainte-Croix, on the Montagne des Singes estate and at the Charleville park.
How to choose?
If you want a big family day out in nature
130 hectares, five themed areas and more than 90% of the park on the level, with the option of staying overnight in a lodge.
If you have young children and half a day
Two visits of around two hours each at Kintzheim, free for under-5s.
✨ La Montagne des Singes (Monkey Mountain)✨ La Volerie des Aigles (Eagle Park)
If you are on a tight budget
A free walk to meet wild boar, red deer, fallow deer and birds, on the heights above the town.
If you are fascinated by wolves
Wolf packs throughout the Argonne forest and, at Sainte-Croix, a whole themed area devoted to wolf tales.
ComparisonData taken from each listing, checked against official sources
| Place or activity | When | Time needed | Who it suits | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sainte-Croix Wildlife Park📍 Moselle (57) | Open almost all year, with fewer opening days in winter: calendar on the official website | A full day: the ticket office closes 1 hour before the park, the Étendues Sauvages trail at 17:00 | Families; more than 90% of the park is step-free; dogs not allowed | By car: Rhodes, about 1 hour from Metz, Nancy and Strasbourg. By train: Sarrebourg TGV station 15 km away, then a taxi |
| La Montagne des Singes (Monkey Mountain)📍 Kintzheim · Bas-Rhin (67) | 2026 season from 21 March to 11 November (closed 25 October, 2–6 and 9–10 November) | 1 hr 30 min to 2 hr on average | Families; free for under-5s; all-terrain pushchair recommended; dogs not allowed in the monkey enclosure | A35 exit 17 then follow signs for Haut-Koenigsbourg (≈ 5 km); free car park; shuttle bus line 500 from Sélestat station |
| La Volerie des Aigles (Eagle Park)📍 Kintzheim · Bas-Rhin (67) | Daily from 25 March to 11 November 2026, bank holidays included | About 2 hours, plus a 10-minute walk from the car park | Families; free for under-5s | Kintzheim Castle, free car parks; in summer, Fluo shuttle bus line 500 from Sélestat station |
| Parc Argonne Découverte📍 Ardennes (08) | February to early November 2026, on a variable opening calendar; closed in December and January | — | Families; several extra-cost experiences from age 7 or 14 | By car: RD 946 at Olizy-Primat; about 1 hr from Reims, Charleville-Mézières or Verdun |
| Charleville-Mézières Animal Park📍 Ardennes (08) | All year, afternoons; closed on Thursdays outside school holidays | 45 min to 1 hr 30 depending on the trail | Families and walkers; bikes, scooters and dogs not allowed | Route d’Aiglemont (D58B), on the heights of Charleville-Mézières; car and coach park |
Map: Wildlife and animal parks in the Grand Est and Alsace
When to go?
- JanPossible
- FebPossible
- MarPossible
- AprPeak season
- MayPeak season
- JunPeak season
- JulPeak season
- AugPeak season
- SeptPeak season
- OctPossible
- NovPossible
- DecPossible
Peak season Possible Off season
📅 Aim for spring and summer, when all the parks are open and the animals are active; in winter, only Sainte-Croix (reduced days) and the Charleville-Mézières park remain open.
Tips & insider advice
- Catch the commented feeding sessions
At the Montagne des Singes, the nature guides hold a commented feeding session every 45 minutes, a chance to learn more about the macaques.
- Plan around the shows
At the Volerie des Aigles, check the day’s show times when you arrive; allow a 10-minute walk from the car park.
- Kintzheim without a car
Bus line 500 links Sélestat station to the Montagne des Singes, and serves the Volerie des Aigles in summer.
- Arrive early at Sainte-Croix
The ticket office closes an hour before the park, and the Étendues sauvages trail at 17:00.
- Good shoes, all-terrain pushchair
Visits are on foot through forest; an all-terrain pushchair is recommended at the Montagne des Singes.
- Check the opening calendar
Argonne Découverte closes in December and January, and its bird flight displays take place only from April to the end of August.
Frequently asked questions
Which wildlife park should I visit in the Grand Est?
The Parc Animalier de Sainte-Croix, at Rhodes in Moselle, makes for a full day out: 130 hectares and more than 1,500 animals. In Alsace, the Montagne des Singes and the Volerie des Aigles, both at Kintzheim, are easy to combine. In the Ardennes, Argonne Découverte and the free park at Charleville-Mézières round off the choice.
Can you visit the Montagne des Singes and the Volerie des Aigles on the same day?
Yes: both parks are at Kintzheim and each takes around two hours to visit. They are open from late March to 11 November in 2026 (with a few closure days at the Montagne des Singes at the end of the season). Without a car, bus line 500 runs from Sélestat station.
Are dogs allowed in the wildlife parks?
Not at Sainte-Croix, on the Montagne des Singes estate or at the Charleville-Mézières animal park. For the other parks, check the official website before setting off.
Which wildlife parks are open in winter?
The Charleville-Mézières park is open every afternoon all year round (closed on Thursdays outside school holidays), and Sainte-Croix opens almost all year, with reduced days in winter. The Montagne des Singes and the Volerie des Aigles close after 11 November and reopen in late March (2026 season), and Argonne Découverte closes in December and January.
Information checked in October 2026. Opening hours, prices and conditions may change: check the official website before you travel.