Le Zoo de Lille

The zoo in Lille is something quite fun to do when in Lille. Admission is free which is awesome for one thing. There is a cool selection of random animals including porcupines, guinea pigs, monkeys, lamas, and more. My favorite was the peacocks that just walk around zoo wherever they please.

This is not the most amazing zoo of course, but it's fun and somewhere that you can be with locals and not feel like such a tourist.

Okay, it is pretty small for a zoo, but it is also free so that probably should actually count for something. Actually that should could for a lot because even though it is free doesn't necessarily mean that it is bad, and this zoo is a good example of that. Okay, the collection isn't all that big, but there are some impressive animals here, including a repitle house. However because the reptile house is usually dark, you generally have to wait to be permitted entrance namely because they don't actually have one of those dark room entrances. Still, it was pretty cool.

The real highlight here is the Gibbons. Whether running and swinging athletically or marking their territory with such an unusual sound I originally though must come from a large bird, these little guys are fascinating. So much so that I came back to the zoo again during my visit. And I would have come back a third time if they hadn't closed for the winter.


But they reopen again soon and I would recommend a visit. The zoo is not extensivebut it is free entry so it is never going to compete with larger zoos. They have some really cool animals though. Besides the gibbons I loved the cute and adorable Mouse Deer, which can be found in the tropical section. My first thought was what is a baby dear doing in here? I had no idea this was the fully grown animal. The red panda is cool toonot at all like the pandas you may be more familiar with though.


Well worth a visit if you are in Lille. The place is free and fairly central. There is real no excuse not to. The only downside was the amount of English school trips that seemed to be skulking around.