If you’re looking for a great day out in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region of France, not far from Poitiers, look no further than the Valley of the Monkeys (La Vallée des Singes).
I recently took my Mum there for a day out when she was visiting me from the UK, and we both absolutely loved it.
With 450 monkeys in 22 hectares of land, it is the only park of its kind in France.
It’s a chance to get up close to the monkeys with no cages, just lots of wonderful wide open space, created especially for them to enjoy.
Is the Valley of the Monkeys worth visiting?
Yes, yes, yes, the Valley of the Monkeys is definitely worth visiting. Just 30 minutes drive from the city of Poitiers it’s the perfect day out for the whole family.
I’ve always loved monkeys and remember visiting West Midlands Safari Park in the UK as a little girl.
At that time, you could drive around the park, and the monkeys would jump all over the car, hang off the car aerial and be incredibly naughty.
They were so mischievous and entertaining, but you couldn’t help but fall in love with them.
A trip to the Valley of the Monkeys is even better because you are out walking around next to them rather than sitting in a car.
What to do at the Valley of the Monkeys
Opening in 1998, The Valley of the Monkeys is a park dedicated to primates. Its whole existence is about preserving nature, the environment and the monkey’s way of life.
There are no cages or fences, and the monkeys roam freely with plenty of places to shelter, sleep and play.
This is their territory, and we are the lucky visitors who have the privilege of visiting them in their homes.
You really need a full day to see everything there is to see, and there is lots of walking involved, so make sure you’re wearing comfy shoes.
You’ll get a map when you arrive that shows you where to go to visit the different species, as well as what time you can watch them being fed.
I also downloaded the App, which gives you lots of information, although it is in French, and I didn’t see a way to opt for English.
As we didn’t arrive till 12.30 p.m. we opted to have lunch first and then headed off to the chimpanzees as they were the closest, and then we followed the map around the park.
The 10 Groups of Primates you’ll find at the Valley of the Monkeys
- Saïmiri
- Gélada
- Bonobos
- Lémuriens
- Atèle à face rouge
- Gibbon & Bonnet
- Gorilles
- Mandrills
- Magots
- Chimpanzés
The Chimpanzees
We were lucky enough to watch the chimps being fed, and it was most entertaining. They obviously knew the sound of feeding time as they quickly came running when they were called.
There were seven chimps who came out, and they ranged in age. A couple of scuffles broke out, and it got quite noisy.
One chimp was on a mission to collect as much food as he could and was taking it from the others. He got a bit too blase and was chased by an older chimp when he tried to take more food than he should have done.
The Magots
Next on the map were the magots, an endangered species native to the mountainous regions of North Africa and substantially smaller than the chimps.
To get to them, you had to cross over a gridded area with an iron gate to stop them wandering off. And once you were inside, as you looked up, you could see them high above you, perched on branches looking down.
In all honesty, they weren’t interested in humans at all and pretty much ignored us.
All I wanted to do was to pick them up and cuddle them, but that was against the rules, and I don’t think they would have been too keen anyway.
The Capuchin Monkeys
These were some of my favourite monkeys, and we were there for feeding time. They are omnivorous, and their diet consists of a wide variety of foods, including fruits, insects, small vertebrates, nuts, and plant parts.
The keeper feeding them had their food in a bucket, and dressed in her Wellington boots, she waded through the river to them to give them their food.
They’re also quite small and blend in with their habitat. But their long tails are fascinating because they use them to swing from the trees and grab hold of things.
Apparently, Capuchins are among the most intelligent of all New World monkeys. They have been observed using tools, not only for foraging but also for other purposes like cracking nuts or opening fruits.
Their problem-solving abilities and social learning are quite remarkable.
I just loved watching them jump from tree to tree, chasing each other all over the place. It was hard to leave and move on to the next, as I could have watched them all day.
Atele a Ventre Blanc (White-bellied spider monkey)
I have to say these ones stole my heart too. They were full of mischief chasing each other around, up and down the ropes and in and out of the building they had for sleeping in.
One in particular was a right little show-off, standing up and stretching his arms to get our attention. So funny to watch.
They are primarily found in the Amazon Basin, which includes parts of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
They inhabit the canopy of undisturbed tropical rainforests and are well-adapted to life in the trees.
They also have long tails, which they use to keep them balanced, but also as an extra hand, allowing them to swing effortlessly through the trees.
They have dark fur with a distinctive patch of white or pale fur on their belly.
The Saimiris
These were my Mum’s favourites, and they are tiny. They leap around all over the place, climbing the ropes and zipping up and down the trees.
They are known as squirrel monkeys, which makes perfect sense when you see them, with an average length of about 10 to 14 inches (25 to 35 cm) and a tail nearly as long as their body.
The Mandrill
When we saw them, they weren’t very active and just sat there staring at us, probably fed up with all the people traipsing through their forest.
They are pretty big and quite slow when they get up to move, and are apparently among the largest of all the monkeys.
The males, which are the ones we saw, are particularly striking, with bright red and blue facial skin, a yellow beard, and a pronounced ridge on their snout.
One fact that tickled me is Mandrills are known for their elaborate sexual displays, a bit like peacocks. It was hard to imagine as they didn’t look like they’d get excited about anything.
The Gorillas
Oh my goodness, these big boys were fantastic. The old grandfather gorilla just had this look of supreme boredom on his face the whole time, which was so funny.
And the size of him was unbelievable.
Quite a few gorillas were sitting around enjoying the sun, but the baby one held everyone’s attention. There is no other word to describe him but playful.
He kept running up to the others and trying to get them to play by hitting them and trying to goad them into a chase. I could have watched this display for hours as it was so entertaining.
There are three male gorillas there used to reproduce, but in total, I think we saw eight of them roaming around.
I didn’t realise, but the male gorillas can weigh up to 450 lb, whilst the females only tend to get up to 250 lb Yaoundé, the big bored-looking male gorilla, weighs 440.925 lb.
As I said, he is absolutely massive and moves very slowly, but still somehow manages to look cuddly.
When is the best time to go to the Valley of the Monkeys?
If you can, try to go out of season because the park gets really busy in July and August being school holidays.
It was still busy when I went in September, but the guy at the ticket office said it was much quieter than it had been in the previous two months.
It certainly didn’t feel crowded when we were there, but, then again, how could it be on 22 hectares of land?
Plus, the weather was perfect in September, not too hot and with no rain, so it was a good time to go.
There are a lot of shaded forest areas in the park, so you aren’t often in direct sunlight, which is good and does help to keep you cool.
We took bottled water with us to stay hydrated, which I highly recommend doing.
Where is the Valley of the Monkeys?
Just a short drive from both Futuroscope and Poitiers, it’s in the Vienne region of the Nouvelle Aquitaine in Southwest France. Just follow the signs and you can’t miss it.
ADDRESS: La Vallée des Singes Le Gureau 86700 ROMAGNE WEBSITE: Book your Tickets >>>
How to get to the Valley of the Monkeys?
The Vallée des Singes is in the Vienne department (86) in Southwest France. From Paris, it’s a four-hour drive on the A10.
For other more local places, the distance is as follows: Civray (13 km), Ruffec (30 km), Poitiers (48 km), Angoulême (81 km), Limoges (106 km), Cognac (115 km), La Rochelle (136 km), Bordeaux (200 km).
FAQS: Visiting the Valley of the Monkeys
How many different types of monkeys are there?
There are 34 different species of monkeys in the Valley of the Monkeys and 450 monkeys in total, with 800 hundred births since the park first opened.
What are the opening hours?
The opening hours change depending on the time of year.
From the start of January – to March 31st, it’s 10h-17h
From April 1st to the end of June, it’s 10h-18h
During July and August. It’s 10h-19h
From September 1st to October 29th, it’s 10h-18h
From October 30th to the end of the year, it’s 10h-17h
What are the ticket prices?
Tickets for the Valley of the Monkeys are priced at €22 for adults and €14 for children aged 3-12 years.
Are there restaurants on-site?
Yes, there are a couple of restaurants on site. I went in September when there was only one restaurant open, and we queued for 45 minutes to get lunch.
If I’d had thought about it a bit more, I would have taken a picnic as the food is quite pricey and pretty basic.
Having said that, the service was good once you got to the serving area.
Is the Valley of the Monkeys safe?
Yes, it’s very safe. One word of warning though, make sure you have a zip-up bag, as the monkeys are little pickpockets. You’re so close to them, and they are full of mischief. We saw them jump onto a pushchair and start playing with the hair of a delighted toddler.
Final thoughts: A Trip to the Valley of the Monkeys
It is a truly fabulous day out surrounded by wildlife and 34 different species of primates. The staff are brilliant, and really know their stuff and are happy to stop and talk to you.
With over 40 different feeding times to choose from, you can learn so much by watching the animals come out for their food.
Seeing the monkeys so close was a wonderful experience, and I’m sure I’ll be going again in the not too distant future.
The post A Trip to The Valley of the Monkeys, France in 2023 appeared first on Life in Rural France.
