Beautiful amusement park and zoo in one, set in the nature, with most attractions suitable for kids from 100 cm height. France, 6 hrs from Zurich.
Final verdict: Highly recommended for kids taller than 100 cm (5/5)
The it factor: 5/5
Le PAL is a great introduction to rollercoasters and other amusement park thrills for kids 3-6 years old, who are above 100 cm height. The addition of the impressive zoo area and some attractions for younger kids and kids over 120 cm make it an excellent destination for a 1-2 days event for the whole family.
The fun factor: 5/5
Most of the rollercoasters and carousels are adapted for kids above 100 cm, only a few are for kids above 120 cm. Note that below 120 cm you will need one accompanying adult per kid for most of the rides. Our little one was 101 cm tall on the day and it was the first time for her to try out rollercoasters. She was very excited and a little bit afraid and it was definitely an experience for her that she absolutely loved. It was also fun for us to watch her overcome her fears and enjoy the fun.
The place is also packed with fun activities for smaller kids - carousels (and a lot of them!), cars, riding dears, and more. As usual, we did 10 car rides in a row, which was a great time for us to relax :)
For a hot day, there are many water activities - shooting boats, round boats, water playgrounds (very small one), and more. And the staff also sprays you with water on almost all carousels (if you agree to it).
There are also elaborate playgrounds for different age groups if you have enough of the rides.
When I first read that this park combines attractions and zoo - I was expecting something small. This park definitely exceeded my expectations - elephants, tigers, monkeys, zebras, giraffes - all placed in a beautiful nature
There is also an option to stay in the park overnight in a lodging overseeing savannah which we plan to do and review in the future. On this occasion we stayed in a nearby exciting camping place.
The unique factor: 5/5
We appreciated the concept of combining zoo set in a beautiful nature and theme park in one very much. It makes the whole experience a bit less overwhelming for the whole family as you can chill and wind down in the zoo area. Also in many parks rollercoasters start from 110 cm so if you want to introduce your kids to amusement park thrills earlier - you can definitely count on Le PAL.
The food factor: 3/5
The food areas are very pretty but the food availability depends on the amount of people in the park. We were off-season (June) and most of the restaurants were closed. The only available options was typical to amusement parks fast food.
The value factor: 5/5
For what you get, we found this park fairly priced. Kids below 100 cm come in for free and the tickets for adults and taller kids are reasonable.
Impressions video
Practical info
6 hrs from Zurich - best to combine with other activities, e.g. stay at the unique camp site or wine tasting as it is a wine region
Address: Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre, 03290 Dompierre-sur-Besbre, France
Tip: Best for kids above 100 cm
Tip: Bring healthy snacks
More info here