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Zoological Park of Clères en Seine-Maritime

Sites - Attractions
Zoo et parc animalier
Seine-Maritime

Zoological Park of Clères

    32 Avenue du Parc
    76690 Clères

Timeline

Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1900
2000
1864
Renewal of the domain
1919
Purchased by Jean Delacour
1930
Open to the public
15 février 1939
Fire of the castle
1947
Postwar reopening
1966
Transfer to the National Museum
15 novembre 1988
Natural site classification
1989
Repurchase by the Seine-Maritime
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Key figures

Jean Delacour - Ornithologist and founder Creator of the zoological park in 1919.
Louis-Hector de Béarn - Count and Renovator Transforms the estate in 1864.
Édouard Busigny - Landscape Design the park with English.
Henri Parent - Architect Directs the modernization of buildings.
Jean-Baptiste Foucher - Sculptor Decorate the interiors before 1939.

Origin and history

The Clères zoological park originated in the Middle Ages, but its major transformation began in 1864 when Count Louis-Hector de Béarn renovated the estate. He closed the ditches of the medieval castle and set up an English park by Édouard Busigny, while modernizing the buildings under the direction of architect Henri Parent. The interiors, decorated by the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Foucher, were destroyed by two fires in 1939, ravaging the castle and the 16th century mansion. The estate, sold in 1913 to the Duchess of Choiseul-Praslin, was acquired in 1919 by the ornithologist Jean Delacour.

Jean Delacour remodels the park entirely to make it a botanical zoo, acclimatizing species reported from his trips to South America, Africa and Asia. Opened to the public in 1930, the park closed during World War II, suffering shelling and animal losses due to the black market. He reopened in 1947, and Delacour rebuilt collections with animals imported from the United States. In 1966, he transferred the park to the National Museum of Natural History, which ensured its conservation until 1989, when the Seine-Maritime General Council purchased it for a symbolic euro.

Ranked a natural site in 1988, the park now houses endangered species such as fried pelicans or red pandas, while preserving historical buildings: ruins of the medieval castle, 15th century manor, and a cohue (former building of justice). The estate, served by the Clères station, remains a place dedicated to research, education and biodiversity protection. Recent restorations (2016) have modernized animal facilities, while the park participates in exchange programs for genetic diversity of rare species.

The Clères Zoological Park is also a founding member of the National Association of Zoological Parks, created by Jean Delacour. Its heritage thus combines architectural heritage (classified historical monuments for castral elements) and ecological commitments, with a remarkable ornithological collection, including anatids, cranes, sacred ibises and flamingos of Chile. Mammals, such as wallabys or gibbons, evolve in semi-freedom, strengthening its tourist and educational attractiveness.

External links

Conditions of visit

  • Conditions de visite : Ouvert toute l'année
  • Ouverture : Horaires, jours et tarifs sur le site officiel ci-dessus