Immersion among the monkeys
Among these activities, we recently discovered the Monkey Forest. At first, we were hesitant to visit this site, as it didn't make sense to us to have monkeys in Rocamadour, and it seemed somewhat out of place. But with our grandchildren in tow, it seemed appropriate to put our preconceptions aside and make the children happy. So, on a beautiful day in October, we walked through the gates of this animal park.
The visit is self-guided, and after listening to the safety instructions necessary for a safe visit, we passed through an airlock, much like the one seen in the famous film Jurassic Park, which prevents the monkeys from escaping. Then, feeling uneasy about being in unfamiliar territory, we wandered down the path through the forest where we would encounter the primates.
Suddenly and unexpectedly, one of them strolls past us nonchalantly. A crackling sound from a branch on our left alerts us, and we discover that a large number of its fellow creatures are around us, both on the ground and in the trees. We move forward cautiously so as not to disturb them, but also to avoid any aggressive behaviour. They pay little attention to us and continue to groom each other or squabble. A little further on, we are approached by one of the park's keepers, who invites us to feed the animals while giving us valuable advice. At that moment, it's feeding time. The primates pounce on the fruit and vegetables thrown to them by the keeper. Fighting, screaming, chasing, acrobatics in the trees and displays of dominance follow one after another, while other monkeys move around us. The spectacle is superb because it is all around us and we feel completely invisible to these macaques.
Thus, as we stroll through the park, we discover these animals' way of life, their codes of communication and their habits.
The keepers, spread throughout the park, provide us with accurate and interesting information about this community of 150 primates divided into three groups of around 50 individuals living in 20 hectares of forest and rocky terrain. Throughout this immersion among these animals, you can sense that the monkeys are truly happy, well cared for and in their element in the middle of this forest.
The park will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024 with around 130,000 visitors per year, irrefutable proof of its quality and the owners' commitment to species preservation, protection of natural environments and actions in favour of sustainable eco-tourism. In short, a wonderful visit not to be missed...
More information : www.la-foret-des-singes.com
