Getting to Parc des felins from DLP

[pinklady84]

Hi, have just found out about the big cat rescue (Parc des Felins) in France and would love to take the kids there if it is do-able. Can anyone tell me if you can get there by train or similar from DLP or is it only really accessible if you have a car?

Thanks x

 

[jillrobinson]

Super easy to get to by bus and well worth it. Can you believe we were present when a lioness was giving birth last year. She'd left the pride and made a den right next to the footpath.

Take the Ligne 17 Seine et Marne Express bus from the station. It's either the last or next to last bus stop, opposite side to the Disney buses and furthest away from the village. Direction la Halle.
Takes about half an hour to get to Victor Hugo Coloummiers, small train station with a bus stop. We probably waited about 20 minutes there and then you take the Seine et Marne Express Ligne 1 Direction Gare de Melun.
It's about 20 minutes on that bus to the Parc des Felins. Bus stop is across the road and 5 minute max walk to the park.

It cost us about 2 euros each for each journey, I bought my tickets in the machine at the train station. I think they were the ticket t+ and I've a feeling we needed 1/person for each stage of the journey, so 4 tickets in all/person. but I'd have to double check that

It was an extremely hot day when we went and on the whole cats were doing what they always do in the Sun - Sleep, I'd love to go back again. And unlike the trains which I hated the buses are lovely, really modern everyone's really friendly, the passengers all say Hello and Goodbye to the driver and the drivers were really helpful. There's loads of easy to follow bus timetables all I did was photograph them, so that we could check the best times to get home

www.vianavigo.com is excellent for planning journeys, you can work out the times there. Choose depart Gare RER, Chessy and destination Parc de Félins, Lumigny-Nesles-Ormeaux

 

[pinklady84]

Wow, so much info, just what I need
What fab pictures and how lucky were you, talk about timing! I would have been grinning like a cheshire cat if I had been there for that. So nice of mama lion to build her den by the footpath!

Is it easy to spot when you get to Victor Hugo Coloummiers? Knowing me I will get off at the wrong stop! (i'm a bit like that at the best of times, let alone in France!)
Do i need to just enter the start and end destination at the ticket machine to get tickets for both buses, or do I enter the seperate parts of the journey? Do the buses get busy? Do you all get a seat!
How long did you spend there roughly?

Can I ask why you hated the trains out of interest?

 

[jillrobinson]

All the bus stops are just side of the road ones until you get to Coloummiers, there's a little turning area for the buses there and the bus pulls in right in front of the train station, you can't miss it.
It was the t+ ticket and from what I've just read we used more than we needed. I used one ticket/person for each leg of the journey, but it seems we could've continued the journey on just one ticket, you validate it on entering the bus automatic machine, providing your transfer is within 90 mins it seems you an use the same ticket.
You can buy the tickets seperately at the machine or it's cheaper to buy 10 ( I think ) There is a ticket help desk at the station, I'd double check with them.

Buses weren't overly full, we got seats together 4 of us every time. We spent most of the day there.

Trains - where do I start, the gypsy style dancer that I thought was a nice touch until I realised they were beggars from the hat thrust under my nose, the 6 foot guy dressed in army gear marching up and down the train, shouting at the top of his voice that was quite scary, my son getting on the wrong train and us getting split up, finding him again and then on the very next train the same thing happening to a young child, whose parents were left behind on the platform. Being stranded for 20 mins in a very hot tunnel as the emergency cord had been pulled re: the child,( he was eventually reunited with his family at the next station.) And just the whole atmosphere of the paris trains stations, made the London underground seem really welcoming, but don't let me put you off !

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Well worth making the trip if you have some spare time. They have an amazing collection of cats of all sizes, and make some time for Lemur Island (especially at feeding time).

 

[pinklady84]

Ok thanks Jill, should be ok finding the right stop then!

Wow the trains sound delightful lol What was the dude shouting about? And what a flippin nightmare getting split up. That happened here once to my eldest daughter and me when she was about 10, had a baby and toddler in tow too. it was a crazy, horrid nightmare

Rob, lovely photos Will definitely be going, we are all animal mad in this house! So glad I came across this park and it's easy to get too. Will see the lemurs too, amazing! Can't wait. I go 3 weeks today