Parc Zoologique

After five long years of renovation work, the Parc Zoologique (known colloquially as the Zoo de Vincennes) is back in business. Regular patrons of the old zoo are in for a shock: the venue's been subjected to a radical redesign in which nothing, bar the 65m Grand Rocher centerpiece and of course the beasts themselves, has been spared. Visitors are now greeted by spots of woodland, a greenhouse, an aviary and five 'biozones', all of it brand spanking new and up to the ethical standards of the day. Efforts have been made to grant the animals more living space and promote the protection of endangered species, and the whole experience is framed by a new pedagogical mission that occasionally borders on the twee (will kids really learn anything from a picture of a manatee wearing a bib?). But this is nit-picking, for the revamped zoo is a wonder to behold and a joy to explore – if only to pick out the weirdest-looking fauna (see slideshow above).

For extended summer opening hours and other special events, check the zoo's website (in English and French).