THE WOLVES OF GÉVAUDAN
(LOZÈRE)

COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH A PACK OF WOLVES

For more than a quarter of a century, the Parc des Loups de Gévaudan – which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary – has worked to correct the previously negative image of the wolf, a noble but grossly misunderstood creature that was driven close to extinction across Europe. 

It was at Sainte-Lucie, in the country haunted by the ghost of the mysterious and terrifying Beast of Gévaudan, that, in 1962, the visionary Gérard Ménatory (1921-1998) reintroduced the wolf to France, with two animals he brought from Poland.

Today, the park covers 20 hectares and is home to around 140 wolves, which roam three vast enclosures. The wolves originate from Poland, Mongolia, Canada, Siberia and the Arctic.

Each year more than 80,000 visitors come to observe the wolves and marvel at their highly structured social interaction within the pack. The park is located in the Lozère, one of the least inhabited and most 'natural' of landscapes.

In 1989, France became a signatory to the Convention of Berne which, among other things, granted protection to the wolf. In July and August, the park hosts ‘Nocturnes du Loup’ night visits during which visitors can fill their lungs and attempt to howl with the wolves (it’s not that easy!).