Les loups du gevaudan

The Park of the wolves of is about 10km south of Aumont Aubrac in the Lozere department of France.

The park of 'Les loups du gevaudan' covers 15 hectares and contains over a 100 wolves. There is a Siberian reserve, a Canadian reserve and a Mongolian reserve. The park was created by Gerard Menatory who wanted to create a park where wolves could live in semi-freedom.

It really is wonderful to see the wolves up close and if you are lucky you will hear them making their incredibly eery wolf howl.

When you visit the park most of its wolves stay hidden and away from the welcome centre with its bar, shop and museum. But during visits wolves are given appetizers to attract the most friendly to come to the Centre where they can be seen.

The different species are kept seperate so they don't inter-breed and this means that during your visit you can spot the differences between the sub-species. The guide is one of the wolf keepers and will give you an excellent insight into the life and social organisation of the wolves. (Information packs are available in English if you don't speak French).

As well as the wolves the park is situated high up above some amazing views of the hills and valleys surrounding the park. It really is a very beautiful spot.

The Beast of Gevaudan

In 1764 a beast massacred around one hundred people, predominantly women and children in the Gevaudan area. Many myths and legends grew up around the beast and its fame continues today  - see two recent films on the subject: Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) and La Bete du Gevaudan (2003). Many hunts were organised to find and kill the beast and all failed until in 1767 the beast was killed. It was a wolf. And so continued the bad reputation of the wolf.

The killings do not follow normal patterns of behavoir for a wolf, nor indeed did the human remains seem to correspond to the damage a wolf could inflict. The truth is still not known but two possibililties seem to be that either it was a wolf crossed with a large domestic dog or it was an Asian Hyena (yes there were some in the area at the time).

See Languedoc-Roussillon and Lozere (the region and department for Les loups du gevaudan) for more travel ideas...

Photos of Les loups du gevaudan

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Suggested places to visit near Les loups du gevaudan, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Sainte-Eulalie-d'Olt 21km; Marvejols 24km; Castelbouc 24km; Montbrun 27km; Cevennes National Park 29km; Millau 30km; Mende 32km; Saint-Come-d'Olt 33km; Millau bridge 33km; Peyre 33km; Florac 35km;

Les loups du gevaudan tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Aven Armand (grotte) - site of natural beauty (22km) : Chaos de Montpellier-le-Vieux - site of natural beauty (27km) : Cascade du Déroc - site of natural beauty (32km) : Chaos de Nimes-le-Vieux - site of natural beauty (33km) : Abîme de Bramabiau - site of natural beauty (36km) : Grands Causses - regional natural parc (40km) :

See more places and a map at places near Aumont Aubrac