Families staying in the cottages ask for it by name once they’ve seen the signs near Valognes: the Parc animalier Saint-Martin, a small zoo in the bocage at Montaigu-la-Brisette, 25 minutes and 15 km from the château. It has been run by the same local team since 1983 — fifteen wooded hectares around a string of ponds, more than forty species from five continents, and the unhurried feel of a place built for an afternoon rather than a day.
What you will see
Wolves and zebras, dromedaries, baboons and macaques, ring-tailed lemurs, colourful exotic birds, alpacas and maras from South America, and a mini farm for the youngest. In summer the enclosures fill with young animals. The paths run under the trees and along the ponds, which makes it a gentle walk for small legs and a pleasant one in hot weather.
For children
Pony rides for three- to ten-year-olds, at walking pace on a secure circuit with a parent alongside (€2.50 a ride), every afternoon in the French school holidays and at weekends. The park’s website has printable treasure hunts to take round. Children of eight to twelve can spend a morning as a keeper — feeding the lemurs and the alpacas, the mini farm, the wolves — for €60, booked online in advance.
Opening times and prices
The park is open from mid-February to 1 November and closed in winter. In July and August it opens every day from 10 am to 6:30 pm; in the autumn half-term (18 October to 1 November 2026) every day from 2 to 6 pm; outside the holidays mostly in the afternoons and on Sundays, so check the current timetable before you go. The ticket office closes two hours before the park. Admission is €13 for adults, €9.50 for children of three to twelve, free for under-threes (prices); tickets are bought at the gate.
Practical
There is a picnic area, both covered and open-air, a kiosk for drinks and ice creams, a small shop, free parking and accessible toilets. Dogs are not allowed in the park, so plan for that if yours is travelling with you. The visit is outdoors: on a wet day out of season the park may close early, so a sunny afternoon is the time to go. Website · 02 33 40 40 98 · directions.
With the rest of the day
The park is ten minutes north of Valognes, so a morning at the Saturday market and an afternoon with the animals makes an easy family day. In summer, pair it with the maize maze; for older children, with the tree-top courses of Forest Adventure. Dinner afterwards: our list of restaurants.
Prices and opening times are the 2026 ones published by the park; last checked 11 October 2026.
Stay at the château
Make the château your base for this and everything else in the guide: four B&B rooms from €95 a night, four self-catering cottages from €100 a night, 35 minutes from the Cherbourg ferry. Best rate when you book direct.