Château of Thoiry

The Château of Thoiry is a 150-hectare (370-acre) castle, zoo and botanical garden that was opened to the public in 1965 in the village of Thoiry, France, with gardens and a zoological park. Located about 30 miles (48 km) due west of Paris, it is best visited by automobile to take advantage of the drive-through lane. Its popularity has continued to grow -- by 1974, over 280,000 visitors per year were coming to see an assortment of 1,000 wild animals.