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Kidora
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Added on 27 July 2026
Stroking a goat, watching a wolf, feeding the hens: contact with animals remains one of the strongest experiences of childhood. A tour of French-speaking Switzerland’s zoos, animal parks and educational farms where your children can get close to the animals — for real.
Zoos and animal parks in French-speaking Switzerland
- Zoo de Servion: big cats, wolves, lynx and primates in the Vaud countryside, 25 minutes from Lausanne. The Tropiquarium is right next door, ideal to combine or as a fallback on rainy days.
- La Garenne in Le Vaud: THE alpine wildlife park — wolves, lynx, birds of prey — in a magnificent setting above Nyon.
- The animal park at Bois-de-la-Bâtie in Geneva: free to visit, the meeting point for Geneva families for generations.
- Bioparc in Bellevue: a refuge for exotic and local animals, from age 3.
- The Jorasse mini zoo in Ovronnaz: the alpine farm at 2,000 metres, reached by chairlift — marmots along the trail included.
Educational farms, hands-on contact
- Ranch Paradisio in Begnins: ponies, goats and friends on the heights of La Côte, from age 3.
- Domaine Le Baribois in Gland: an educational farm that also hosts birthdays, from age 2.
- La ferme de la Gavotte in Lancy: Geneva’s city farm, reachable by tram, from age 2.
- La ferme de Charlemont in Crans-près-Céligny: birthdays and holiday courses on the farm, from age 4.
- La ferme de la Rochette in Champéry: animals and alpine cheeses, from age 2 — the authentic mountain farm.
Original animal experiences
- Barryland in Martigny: meeting the famous Saint Bernard dogs.
- Le Vivarium de Meyrin: snakes and reptiles to watch from very close up.
- Equitypes in Versoix: a gentle introduction to horses, from age 6.
- Dog trekking in Saint-Cergue: walking harnessed to a sled dog, from age 5.
The golden rules with animals
- Always ask before touching or feeding: every venue has its own rules, so explain them before you go in.
- Wash hands after contact — most farms have washing points provided.
- Calm pays off: a settled child will see more animals than one who runs around.
- In the mountains, livestock guardian dogs are not soft toys: give herds a wide berth and keep your distance.
Want to watch animals under cover? Discover our aquariums and vivariums too, perfect on rainy days.
Browse all our Nature & Animals outings in French-speaking Switzerland, sorted by age and by canton. And to discover our next addresses, join the Kidora newsletter.
Frequently asked questions
Which zoo should you visit as a family in French-speaking Switzerland?
Zoo de Servion, 25 minutes from Lausanne, is the most complete: big cats, wolves, lynx and primates, with the Tropiquarium right next door. For alpine wildlife, La Garenne in Le Vaud has wolves, lynx and birds of prey above Nyon.
Where can children stroke animals in French-speaking Switzerland?
Educational farms such as Ranch Paradisio in Begnins, Le Baribois in Gland, la Gavotte in Lancy or la Rochette in Champéry allow real, supervised contact with the animals.
Which animal park is free in French-speaking Switzerland?
The animal park at Bois-de-la-Bâtie in Geneva and the Sauvabelin park in Lausanne are free to visit all year round.
Where can you see wolves in French-speaking Switzerland?
The La Garenne wildlife park in Le Vaud has wolves, lynx and alpine birds of prey in large enclosures, 20 minutes from Nyon. Zoo de Servion also has wolves.
From what age can you take a child to a farm?
From age 2, most educational farms offer suitable visits. Even before that, watching the animals already delights the youngest.
Michael @ Kidora
Kid Adventure Planner