Zoo Sauvage de Saint-Felicien — Attraction in Saint-Félicien

I am not particularly fan of zoos, but as we were on family vacations I tried that one, because they had wild zones where animals are free.

1/ Covid situation is pretty weel organized, markers everywhere to respect distances, paths indicated to avoid double circulation, employees guide you on the way, trains are made to embark and disembark safely (sanitized after each tour) and communication is great !!! Covid situation: be careful to take enough water at the beginning as fountains are not available.

2/ Park is clean, and you find people almost everywhere to guide you and answer any questions frome "where is the bathroom?" to "where is the tiger?", bathroom available along the way, the one i tried was very clean. (Avoid going at the one before the train station it's crowded)

3/ Places for animals are large, with shadows, places far from tourists, fluent water source (artificial little rivers for example), so most of the time I didn't have the sad feeling you have in zoos with animal getting crazy in their little spaces. Why "most of the time" ? Because I think polar bears might not enjoy summer even with a large space and pool, and also mongolia sector was a bit lifeless These are the things I would improve first

4/ I really enjoyed the train tour, because this really is a huge place where animals kinda do what they want, so you might not see all of them all the time but hey it's life, and you have a lot to see, bisons, bears, wolves, cows, horses, groundhogs, wapitis, mooses, countless birds... The guide is experimented to go slower when they see something interesting. On top of that there are some place with human ancient reconstructed life, where you learn more about hunters, natives and inhabitants... Doesn't matter if you are on left or right in the train you will see a lot, and you are grouped with your family even during covid...

Beautiful zoo, but...! We visited the zoo in late august 2020. This zoo is really beautiful with big enclosures for the animal in a forest setting. The highlight of our day was the train wich was amazing. BUT I would not return before they find a vaccine for covid. I took the commute in Montreal, I went to various stores and sincerely it was the less safe I felt in a long time. The zoo made changes like social distancing markers in front of the enclosures but no one follows them (people stand less than a feet from each other) and no one is wearing a mask (except from staff). I know it is not the zoo's fault, they did good by desinfecting the trains and everything, but maybe if some of the employees would remind people to follow the social distancing guidelines, especially during the presentation about the animals, I think it would make the visit even better. Anyway if you worry about covid-19 maybe don't go there right now, otherwise it's...

Excellent and nice zoo, it's not more of a zoo itself but a sanctuary, animals are in whenever possible in their environment or a mimic of it. The safari is awesome and let you see some animals in wild state or getting in the area for the bald eagle and have at less than 2 meters from you is incredible. The river crossing the park is so nice. As always in this kind of places food or drinks from their restaurants are expensive but you can take your own icecube. It's not part of the zoo but the route to it, it's very nice ( I departed from Alma, around 96km). The zoo is very big so arrive early and prepare to walk as it closes at 5pm, don't know in winter, but so much to see and sun time is not enough. For kids you can take your own stroll or rent one there with different forms...