Zoologic park de Lille

Zoo de Lille sits inside the Bois de Boulogne park at the foot of the Lille citadel, in the Vauban-Esquermes district of the city. It is one of the few sizeable zoos in France where local residents get in for free, and that accessibility is exactly what makes it a repeat family outing rather than a once-off tourist stop.

How do you get there?

The park lies on the western edge of Lille, right next to the citadel and the surrounding Bois de Boulogne, so a visit pairs easily with a walk through the green space around it. The grounds are flat and the paths paved, making them stroller- and wheelchair-friendly — no hiking-level fitness required to see the whole site.

How much does it cost to get in?

Residents of Lille, Hellemmes and Lomme who hold a Pass Lille & moi card enter free. Free entry also applies to local nursery and primary schools, children's leisure centers, and neighborhood or community centers based in those three municipalities. Everyone else buys a ticket: adults pay 15 €, children aged 5 to 17 pay 8.50 €, kids under 5 get in free, and a family ticket (2 adults plus up to 3 children) costs 38 €.

What will you see inside?

The collection totals around 250 animals across 70 species, including 11 primate species — monkeys are among the park's main draws. The site's history goes back to 1950, when it opened as part of a larger children's leisure park with just a handful of enclosures for farm animals, wild boar, fallow deer and stags. From 1953 the zoo added rows of aviaries, and by the early 1960s the grounds had grown to one hectare with the arrival of the first monkeys. A turning point came in 1962, when a tropical house opened to hold reptiles, including a python — a feature that remains part of the zoo's educational offering today.

When should you visit?

The zoo runs on a seasonal calendar — in 2025 it was open for nine months, from February 8 to November 10, and it closes every Tuesday. That's worth building into a Lille itinerary, especially on a day trip: arriving on a Tuesday means the zoo simply won't be open.

What else is there to do besides walking the enclosures?

The park runs a program of activities tailored to different types of visitors. School groups and leisure centers get access to educational sessions, while the general public can join the animal feeding time, a behind-the-scenes tour of areas not normally open to visitors, a birthday-party package for kids, a teen zoo club (zooclub ado), and themed workshops. That mix is what keeps families coming back rather than treating it as a single tourist stop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is entry to Zoo de Lille free? Free entry is reserved mainly for residents of Lille, Hellemmes and Lomme holding a Pass Lille & moi card, plus local schools and community groups. Other visitors pay: 15 € for adults, 8.50 € for children aged 5 to 17, free for children under 5, and 38 € for a family ticket.

How many species can you see at the zoo? The collection includes around 250 animals from 70 species, among them 11 primate species.

Is the zoo open year-round? No — it runs seasonally, roughly from February to November, and it is closed every Tuesday.

Can you combine a zoo visit with seeing the Lille citadel? Yes, the zoo sits directly next to the citadel inside the Bois de Boulogne park, so both can easily be covered in the same walk through the western part of the city.