“I remember a well-maintained zoo where the animals were treated with care. During July and August, it was very busy,” recalls Mr. F., former mayor of the town. This opinion seems widely shared, given the many memories that arise.
“The zoo was mainly populated by felines, with some bears, but the living conditions were questionable,” he reports.
“I remember a horrible bear pit, completely concrete, with no stimulation and terribly overcrowded!”
“During my visit in 1995, the park had a pair of lions, another pair of jaguars, as well as 4 or 5 brown bears in a concrete pit. I also remember a dromedary in a large wooden cage near the playground. At the time, the owners mentioned financial difficulties (lack of subsidies) and therefore the impossibility of making improvements. They were passionate about the animals, but their vision of the zoo no longer aligned with current standards. Fortunately, the park closed its doors in 2002, but I find that late given the cramped size of the enclosures and the lack of change over 20 years. It was a different time...”
Indeed, today, more than two years after its acquisition, the departmental council has begun rehabilitating the road leading to Puy de Dôme. Considered a blot on the landscape, a blemish according to the mayor of Orcines, Jean-Marc Morvan, the road was redesigned after asbestos removal work, archaeological excavations, my intervention, and the bulldozers. Thus begins a new era, where sheep have replaced wolves.
