Parc Ornithologique Du Pont De Gau

Parc Ornithologique Du Pont De Gau

Parc Ornithologique Du Pont De Gau
4.5
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Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • tanzeyk
    Exeter, United Kingdom23 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nightingales and flamingos
    We wanted to see the famous flamingos and were not disappointed. We arrived at 10 am and the park was already busy ( parking was difficult and people were parking along the road - we fortunately saw a space in the nearby lay-by). The first thing we saw before entering the park were two beautiful flamingos flying overhead. Inside the park, just by the entrance I heard my first ever nightingale which sent tingles down my spine- glorious. The flamingos were close to the path in created lagoons and marshes and were amazing. We also saw nesting stork, herons, black headed gulls, plus glossy ibis, stilts and many more. Also heard several warblers as we walked around. The park attracts many people but it is possible to find quiet areas by walking as far as possible from the entrance. It was a memorable experience.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 4 May 2024
  • Bob_the_cat13
    Cairns, Australia291 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Pleasantly surprised
    So I was definitely one of the sceptical ones prior to visiting this park. When my partner suggested we go and see the flamingoes in France I thought she was joking and that there was no way I would ever see a flamingo in France unless I was visiting a zoo. However, I was definitely wrong, this place was amazing, with 100s of flamingoes and many other birds to be seen. Obviously I imagine that this would be dependant on the time of year you visit, but you can be guaranteed of flamingo sightings in May that’s for sure. As others have mentioned parking is limited and we did have to park along the road and walk back. The toilettes are also compostable and have quite a smell to them, so be prepared for that. The kiosk is also very limited in what you can purchase, but there was enough of a selection for a snack and a drink. Definitely worth a visit at the right time of the year.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 12 May 2024
  • Tanzey K
    Devon, United Kingdom139 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Flamingos galor - beautiful way to spend a morning birding and strolling.
    A great way to view flamingos and other birds. I heard a nightingale as we walked into the park. It was calm and relaxing and it’s worth walking around the longer paved routes away from the entrance to get away from people. I recommend arriving early as the parking in the roadside lay-by gets very full even at 10.30 in the morning.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 24 May 2024
  • mog120
    Penarth, United Kingdom205 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning
    We were amazed by this experience , the sheer number of different and unusual bird species was staggering . Seeing flamingos in the wild , outside of Africa was amazing , loads of heron species all set in a totally natural environment, with the only evidence of human involvement being the pathways to follow . We also saw Beavers and otters , there are 2 walks the first is around 2.9km and the second around 4.5km , unless you’re an avid bird watcher I’d not do the 4-5km one . It’s a pleasant walk but not as interesting with far less to see . The entrance fee is a very reasonable 8€ , and my wife and I were there for over 2.5 hours .
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 July 2024
  • Malacomvan
    Luxembourg City, Luxembourg79 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hundreds of flamingoes within easy reach by public transport
    We took the bus from Arles centre, L50, and took us around 40 minutes to reach the park. We got the ticket from the bus driver for 1.20euros, a bargain. The park is amazing, well maintained, lots os signs and amenities, easy to get around even with pushchair or for those who have difficulty waking. Plenty of observation points and benches to sit or enjoy a picnic.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 September 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles3,343 reviews
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Rc1
Folsom, CA453 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I recently visited this place with a couple of friends. We happened to land upon this after driving around Camargue National Park for more than an hour looking for flamingos. We came across the bulls and gray horses, but couldn't find any flamingos. As we drove on we came across this establishment. It sounded very much like a tourist trap as I noticed there was a ticket to visit this site. When we walked in, we saw hundreds of loud flamingos fighting with each other loudly - because they were being fed by the employees! Their staff drove around in mini pick ups and threw in bucket fulls of food for the flamingos. As an ardent supporter of captivity free animals, this is a different form of captivity, with food being used as a lure. It creates unnatural behavior amongst these birds and disturbs the ecological system. I visited Kenya and Tanzania last summer and was fortunate to see flamingos, wild and displaying their natural behavior. Most national parks advise you to not feed the animals. I can't believe the French government allows this!
Written 29 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ClubEpicuriste
Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France5,431 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Friends
Marie-Claude, our amateur photographer, offers us an outing, with a picnic and discovery of nature, in the Biosphere reserve, at the Ornithological Park of Pont de Gau, a place called, in the Camargue, Saintes Maries de la Mer. She tells us that she contacted one of her friends, Gilles, who is part of the Association of Friends of the Park. Agreement is given for the reservation of the guided tour of the park. We are received by Gilles, who tells us that we cannot access the association's premises, which are private and secure. That they consist of a reception room, an infirmary, care and rehabilitation aviaries and convalescence aviaries. A team of keepers collect and care for around 600 injured wild birds per year, for a stay of a few days or even several months and which are released in the park, if possible. Then he introduces us to Marion, for the guided tour and tells us that our tickets are valid for the whole day. That this park was created in 1974, but that its origins as a refuge date back to 1949, and that it represents 60 hectares of surface area, with more than 7 kilometers of observation trails, in a preserved nature and with a proximity, unrivaled, of stopover and rest for thousands of migratory or non-migratory birds, which are identified and explained by thematic panels. This park allowed us to discover them, to observe them, through the observation towers, the terraces, and the observatories, and, above all, to photograph them, in their natural environment, ponds, marshes, lawns, canals, reed beds and lagoons. She made us observe and interpreted the behavior of the species, or ethology and their life cycle, with migration, nesting and wintering and at the same time, the functioning of these wetlands, with their particularities and their habitats. and also the role of man, in assistance, in this nature, through his management of environments, his ringing, his inventory and his monitoring of species. Only the song of birds came to interrupt the silence of the places where we passed, completely unnoticed, which was very surprising, and also to note that it is man, who blends into this world of birds. We bought bird identification guides and trail maps from the reception office shop, and we were able to rent two pairs of binoculars.
Google
Written 21 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Barbara K
Columbus, OH102 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
This is one of my favorite places. The flamingos never disappoint. Fall is breeding season and the mating dance is hilarious and very noisy. The park is well maintained, abundant seating around the ponds so you can sit and observe. Birds may be close to shore or out in the middle of the ponds, but you can see everything. I was here during the school holidays in late October so it was pretty busy, and parking can be a challenge. I've also been outside of the holiday weeks and parking is very easy and the park is very quiet. There is a small snack bar for beverages and a nice picnic area.
Written 23 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dorset-harvest
Dorset, UK83 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
We visited this attraction during our stay in the area. We arrived at around 10.30 on a week day in the school holidays and the place was packed! The car parks were completely full and we just managed to squeeze in to the last parking spot on a side road. We then had to queue for around 20minutes to get in, which wasn’t too much of an issue especially when watching other cars doing laps of the car park with no where to park.

Once in the park, it was truly memorable and spectacular. The small loop, heading to the right, of the entrance was excellent with lots of flamingos and other birds very close to the walk ways. We also completed the longer walking loop to the left of the reception and this was a bit of a waste of time, especially with children, as there was very little to see.

The snack doesn’t take cards so make sure you have some cash for drinks etc.
Written 25 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Patrick B
Quincieux, France337 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2024 • Couples
Yet in love with the Camargue, I had never visited this park and it is a shame. Like what we discover every day.
Well-appointed park, with picnic areas, garbage cans, toilets, sales and catering area. Only downside parking.
Park in 2 parts, the 2nd much less frequented but wilder and a treat for photographers and those who know how to take the time to observe.
Lots of explanations throughout the tour, perfect for children too.
Of course you will not see all the spaces because it depends first of all on the season and the birds do not yet pose for the photos (wink for the railers)
Personally I came back with more than a hundred photos after 4 hours of observation (there are not only flamingos).
Silence is required in this natural space, it is not a shopping mall nor a digestive walk.
The 8€ entrance is quite justified, possibility to go out during the day and return at sunset.
I highly recommend to nature lovers if however you go towards Saintes maries de la mer.
Automatically translated
Written 16 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

najesurk
Klugfried29 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Solo
The interior is nicely designed and you get a little closer to the flamingos than you usually do in the Camargue, just a few meters closer. Is it worth the trip and the entrance fee?

The outside areas of the park were boring and no different from the surrounding landscape, where you can also go for a walk. In the heat there is hardly any shade, few birds and no other birds than anywhere else.

Maybe nice for photography enthusiasts and children, but for me it wasn't worth the entrance fee.
Google
Written 7 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Traveler190511
Dordrecht, The Netherlands265 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Couples
I understand some of the negative comments made here. Yes the birds are fed, why else would they stay here and not fly away? It gives us visitors the opportunity to see and hear them from close by and make some amazing pictures. Unfortunately, as so often in France, all explanation is in French language only. Parking is very limited for such a tourist attraction, consider coming by bike or take the bus (there is a bus stop at the park).
Written 1 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bob_the_cat13
Cairns, Australia291 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Couples
So I was definitely one of the sceptical ones prior to visiting this park. When my partner suggested we go and see the flamingoes in France I thought she was joking and that there was no way I would ever see a flamingo in France unless I was visiting a zoo. However, I was definitely wrong, this place was amazing, with 100s of flamingoes and many other birds to be seen. Obviously I imagine that this would be dependant on the time of year you visit, but you can be guaranteed of flamingo sightings in May that’s for sure.

As others have mentioned parking is limited and we did have to park along the road and walk back. The toilettes are also compostable and have quite a smell to them, so be prepared for that. The kiosk is also very limited in what you can purchase, but there was enough of a selection for a snack and a drink.

Definitely worth a visit at the right time of the year.
Written 12 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tanzeyk
Exeter, UK23 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Friends
We wanted to see the famous flamingos and were not disappointed. We arrived at 10 am and the park was already busy ( parking was difficult and people were parking along the road - we fortunately saw a space in the nearby lay-by). The first thing we saw before entering the park were two beautiful flamingos flying overhead. Inside the park, just by the entrance I heard my first ever nightingale which sent tingles down my spine- glorious. The flamingos were close to the path in created lagoons and marshes and were amazing. We also saw nesting stork, herons, black headed gulls, plus glossy ibis, stilts and many more. Also heard several warblers as we walked around. The park attracts many people but it is possible to find quiet areas by walking as far as possible from the entrance. It was a memorable experience.
Written 4 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tanzey K
Devon, UK139 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 • Friends
A great way to view flamingos and other birds. I heard a nightingale as we walked into the park. It was calm and relaxing and it’s worth walking around the longer paved routes away from the entrance to get away from people. I recommend arriving early as the parking in the roadside lay-by gets very full even at 10.30 in the morning.
Written 25 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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PARC ORNITHOLOGIQUE DU PONT DE GAU (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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