PARC D'ACCUEIL PIERRE CHALLANDES

Welcome to Parc Pierre Challandes. We are glad you could come for a visit. Please enter and meet some new friends.

Imagine a Hotel, for stray, lost and hurt animals! That is exactly what this beautiful old chateau, park and small zoo is all about. It is a beautiful animal refuge.

The large chateau and surrounding land was a gift to take care of large and small animals, birds and fish. It is kind to take care of stray or hurt animals, that is why it is called a refuge.

Today was a very special day at the park. The animal park was open for everyone, to come and enjoy. When we walked up the road to the park, we could smell sausages being cooked over charcoal! We could hear old fashioned carousel music being played. Long tables were filled with cakes, cookies, candies and pies for sale. When you buy something, the money goes to take care of the animals.

Asia, and her mommy, daddy and baby brother, Evan, joined us on this trip to the animal park. Asia and Ella are best friends. They gathered pretty flower bouquets.

There are lots of things to do at this animal refuge. We decided to explore the open fields, first. Most of the crops and flowers had recently been cut down. But here and there, sprinkled like colored sprinkles on a cake, were tall yellow broom flowers. Ethan plucked a long yellow flower, stuck it down the back of his pants and strutted about like a chicken!!

I told him this story of when his daddy was very young. We went on a vacation to the ocean. Our family stayed in a wooden cabin overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Between the cabin and the water was this huge meadow where tall pampas grass grew. Matthew, Mindy and Christopher were running everywhere, helter-skelter. Suddenly Matthew decided to stick a tall stem down his pants. Ouch!!!!! He soon was running all over the meadow acting like a turkey, or was it a chicken? It doesn't really matter, it was just plain silly.

It was in that same meadow that Mindy got a tic in her hair. That wasn't funny.

There was much to explore after we left the meadows. So we started with the miniature goats, all shiny and sleek.

This white rooster was King of the Park! Half of his feathers were fluffed going one direction and half of his feathers were pokey-out the opposite direction. All white. Now how does he stay clean walking on this muddy ground?

This little Billy Goat loves having a massage and loving pat.

Zadian has tiny inquistive fingers. Just the right size to poke inside a fence. We wonder what the goat thinks of such tiny little fingers exploring his space?

Asia and Zades were certainly wishing they could get to the other side of the fence. After thoroughly exploring this animal refuge we had seen a leopard, cheetah, porcupine, moles, monkeys, chimpanzees, wild cats, birds, fish and more than we can remember!!

This little alley way was a bit like the secret garden, green, cool, lush and leading to who knows where? We walked into the deep shade and came out at a rummage sale!!! This was the direction of the aviary filled with birds singing little melodies and fish, meandering in pools of water on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

All of this exploring makes for a big appetite. We joined others at huge wooden tables. We sat in the sun, listening to the music, munching away on huge white sausages, pickles, bread and dollops of mustard and ketsup.

We all LOVED this park, zoo and animal shelter. It was the best day ever.