The Parc aux Dinosaures of Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère

Let's go back 200 million years together! Parc aux Dinosaures is 12 hectares of forest, populated by curious inhabitants… dinosaurs! There are several scattered around the park, and sometimes they have surprises in store for you, because they move!! Come and walk in a very pleasant, shaded wooded park, with a splendid view of the Vézère Valley, from Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère to Sergeac. The route is embellished with information on the flora and panels to understand the evolution of the Earth and its inhabitants, from the Big Bang to the present day. A moment to share with the family, for the pleasure of walking, learning and having fun.

Photos and video of the article © Guide du Périgord

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The Dinosaur Park and its 25 species of dinosaurs

The Vézère Valley is one of the cradles of humanity. Here, remains of our ancestors and traces of habitats, art and objects have been found, dating back tens of thousands of years. There was certainly no more occupation in the Vézère Valley than elsewhere, but it is thanks to the climate, to the nature of the soils and rocks that the rock shelters, caves and other troglodyte dwellings have been a precious safe, for these riches that we have been discovering and understanding for about 150 years. So what is the relationship between dinosaurs and humans? There isn't, because of course we have never been contemporaries with each other. But dinosaurs are a very big part of the history of the Earth, like plants and other animal species, they are among the first (imposing!) Forms of life and let's be honest, they fascinate us… This is why the Dinosaur Park offers you today, thanks to a fun open-air museography, to understand the relationship of all living beings to the Earth.

Park in the shaded car park, take a ticket (which you can combine with Le Conquil and its fortified troglodyte habitats and / or the Prehistobranche park for tree climbing) and off for a walk at your own pace and that of the children. The Dinosaur Park is a family site, by Annabelle, Baptiste whom you may meet there, sometimes accompanied by their two little daughters. It is a place run with passion and commitment, since 2014 they have been working to improve every year this great project, which is a beautiful leisure park close to Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France.

During the walk, you will come face to face with dinosaurs, some more real than life with even animations! They are sonorous, they move the limbs and the eyelids, for the greatest thrill of pleasure of small children. At the same time, we learn! There are 3 types of panels : panels in front of each species of dinosaur, to contextualize it and get to know it better. There are then large panels which intelligently retrace the history of the Earth and the Universe, taking as a time scale, 1 year. The temporality is so great, that we could be dizzy, but thanks to this transposition, we understand very clearly that Man is only a drop of water, barely a few seconds in the chronological immensity of the Universe… Finally, there are a few panels to present the local flora.

During the holidays, come see the T-Rex alive! He walks in the Snack which is at the entrance of the park (it's a magnificent animated costume, very impressive!). The Snack is open during the holidays and offers snacks for big and small appetites, during the day you will find drinks and ice cream. Children who have finished eating can jump on an inflatable structure and play in a playground.

 

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An outdoor nature walk!

Fancy some fresh air? The Dinosaur Park is above all a very beautiful walk, above the Vézère Valley. The path is bright and shaded at the same time, you go from a deciduous forest to a pine forest that smells good... Continue on the left after the pine forest to go to the very beautiful viewpoint over part of the valley. On one side we see the river flowing towards Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère and on the other it comes from Sergeac, whose bell tower can be seen in the distance. The walk continues until the entrance to a valley, then you have to turn around to enjoy the landscape in the other direction. Do not forget to go up towards the pine forest to the place set up to take a picture with a dinosaur! In autumn, this forest walk is particularly pleasant, with the trees in the valley taking on superb orange hues.

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