Réserve Africaine de Sigean is a safari park of about 300 hectares on the Mediterranean coast, between Narbonne and Perpignan. You drive through the first part in your own car, then continue on foot. More than 3,800 animals live here, among them lions, giraffes, zebras, white rhinos, cheetahs and chimpanzees. The walking area adds a vivarium and a large aviary where free-flying birds share space with alligators. It is the oldest safari park in the country, and the open enclosures give the animals room to move. Plan on a half day at least.
How a visit works
The reserve has two parts, and you do them in order. First comes the drive-through safari, which you do in your own car. It takes about an hour, and you can go round more than once if you wish. Then you park and explore on foot, which takes around three hours. Together that makes a visit of about four hours, and some families stay for the whole day.
The car is a real advantage in summer heat, because you are shaded and can watch the animals without hurrying. The park has an app that helps with navigation and information along the way. Food is sold at a kiosk, and there is a restaurant and snack bars on site.
The entrance has step-free access, and there is a wheelchair accessible parking area. Advance tickets are recommended.
The animals you can see
More than 3,800 animals live on the site. From the car you pass lions, zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, white rhinos, ostriches and cheetahs. The giraffes include the Kordofan subspecies, and the park also keeps rarer animals such as the Somali wild ass.
The plains sections give the sense of open savanna, and the animals have plenty of room. On foot you come to chimpanzees, Tibetan bears, flamingos, meerkats, wallabies and crocodilians. The reserve presents the animals in conditions close to natural, so you may see them feeding, caring for their young and interacting with each other.
On very hot days many animals shelter in the shade, so sightings can be fewer. Early hours give the best chance of seeing them active.
The walking area, vivarium and aviary
The walking part is smaller than the drive but has some of the most distinctive features. The vivarium holds reptiles. The large aviary is built around free-roaming birds that share their space with alligators, and visitors often single it out as the most memorable idea in the park.
For many visitors this is the first time they see bears or chimpanzees in person. Some animals keep a distance from the paths, so allow time at each enclosure rather than rushing from one to the next.
History and setting
The reserve was founded by Paul de La Panouse and Daniel de Monfreid and is the oldest safari park in the country. It covers more than 300 hectares of scrubland (garrigue) and ponds, west of the Berre and south of the lagoons that line the Occitan coast. The address is on the D6009 road at Hameau du Lac, Sigean, about 20 kilometres from Narbonne.
The area has much else to see. Narbonne, Fontfroide Abbey, the Bages-Sigean lagoon, the beaches of Port-la-Nouvelle, the Corbières hills, Lagrasse Abbey and the medieval city of Carcassonne are all within a day trip, so the reserve fits easily into a longer stay in the Aude.
FAQ
How long does a visit to Réserve Africaine de Sigean take?
The drive-through safari takes about one hour and the walking area about three hours. Plan on around four hours, or a full day if you like to take your time.
Can I drive through in my own car?
Yes. The first part of the visit is a drive-through safari in your own vehicle, followed by a walking area on foot.
How much is entry?
An adult ticket has cost €34 per person. Prices change, so check the current rate on the official website before you go.
Should I book tickets in advance?
Advance tickets are recommended. Arriving early also helps you avoid a wait at the entrance gate.
Is the reserve wheelchair accessible?
The entrance and the parking area are both wheelchair accessible.
Where is Réserve Africaine de Sigean?
It is at 19 Hameau du Lac, D6009, in Sigean, between Narbonne and Perpignan. Narbonne is about 20 kilometres away.
