Planete des Crocodiles, reptiles in Civaux

Crocodiles 1 planete Frankrijk vakantie civaux poitou charentes forges reptielen.jpg

Looking to do something completely different during your holiday in France? Possibly on a day when it's cloudy or rainy? Visit the reptile park "Planète des Crocodiles" in Civaux. This park is home to hundreds of crocodiles and turtles from four continents. The park has crocodiles from China and the Mississippi and crocodiles from the Nile of Egypt. Most of the animals would live in a tropical environment in the wild, this tropical environment is therefore completely imitated in the park. La Planète des Crocodiles is currently the only place in France where you can find both the largest and smallest crocodiles. The largest is the saltwater crocodile which can grow over 7 meters long and weighs over 1,000 kg. The smallest is the Cuviers dwarf caiman. In another part of the building, you’ll be able to see turtles, both small and relatively large from all over the world.

Botanical garden with exotic plants

The animals in Planète des Crocodiles live in a building with a huge glass dome. The building also has a botanical garden with an area of 5,000m2. There are more than a hundred different types of exotic plants and trees such as papaya, mango, banana, guava, avocado palms and coconut palms. The park also has giant bamboo, orchids and a baobab tree. The tropical greenhouse of over 5,000m2 which imitates various biotopes is unique in Europe in terms of size.

Papaya
Mango
Banana
Guava
Avocado
Coconut

Crocodiles 2 planete Frankrijk vakantie civaux poitou charentes forges reptielen.jpg

Biotopes

The animals in Planète des Crocodiles all come from different habitats. All these biotopes, the habitats with their specific characteristics, have been recreated. The crocodiles and turtles live in their own natural environment. This is a very interesting experience for visitors seen as you travel from one continent to another when crossing the different biotopes and you are a sort of guest in the country of origin of the crocodiles. The park also has incubators for eggs and separate departments for newly born animals that need extra care before they can be released into the compartments with larger animals.

Feeding of the animals

At various times the crocodiles and turtles are fed. This is always a fun event to watch. The crocodiles, especially the little ones, are lightning fast. The caretakers sometimes hold the food 1 or 2metres above the water so you can watch the crocodiles jump up out of the water.

Natural and ecological balance

La Planète des Crocodiles is closed off from the outside world as much as possible to prevent diseases and pests from entering the building. As a result, no plants are treated with chemicals or pesticides. The park has decided to let the animals and plants live together as much as possible on a natural basis, creating an ecological balance.

Crocodiles 4 planete Frankrijk vakantie civaux poitou charentes forges reptielen.jpg

Crocodiles 17 planete Frankrijk vakantie civaux poitou charentes forges reptielen.jpg

White alligator

A special feature in Planète des Crocodiles is the white alligator. This is rare crocodile and is also known as the albino crocodile. In 2012 the white alligator was born in the USA, and it has lived in in Planète des Crocodiles since 2014.

Opening hours and restaurant

The park is open all year round on all days of the week. The tour through the park takes about 2 hours. Before you plan on visiting the park, be sure to check this on the Planète des Crocodiles website. After the tour you can explore the park by yourself and, for example, grab a bite to eat and drink in the restaurant.