Donjon des Aigles offers a unique opportunity for tourists as their love of the outdoors can be combined with the beauty of wildlife as well as the historical richness of an enchanting castle. The setting of the castle is ideal as it overlooks the extraordinary Pyrénées Mountain Range and literally offers a bird's-eye view of the valley below. Although the show is only presented in French, there is no need to translate the sheer beauty and intelligence of the bird species which include: kites, vultures, eagles, fish eagles, falcons, buzzards as well as Parrots in the summer.
Location of Donjon des Aigles
The Haute-Pyrénées department in the Midi Pyrénées region of France is a sought-after tourist attraction as its mountains, rivers and lakes effortlessly succeed in transporting travelers from the beaten path to an intimate encounter with nature in all her beauty. It is therefore evident that Donjon des Aigles is situated in a privileged spot which gives it a mesmerizing ambience. Beaucens is only 15 km from the world renowned Roman Catholic pilgrimage town of Lourdes.
It is believed that the medieval castle, which houses the collection of bird species, has existed for the past10 centuries. It is interesting that the art of falconry also dates back to the Middle Ages - this factor aptly complements the venue as well as the birds. Visitors to Donjon des Aigles have the opportunity to inspect the birds of prey from a very close range after each show where each bird has been allocated a special spot between the walls of the ancient castle. The name of the species is clearly marked and other interesting information regarding the bird is also shared.
The Bird Show at Donjon des Aigles
Tourists can visit Donjon des Aigles from the start of the French spring holiday until the end of September. Each show lasts about 90 minutes and the usual times are 15:30 and 17:00, however during the month of August there are three shows available at: 15:00, 16:30 and 18:00 respectively. Background music accompany every show where the birds of prey steal the spotlight with astounding tricks and agility. The audience also feels very much part of the experience as one often has to duck and dive to make way for the larger species which fly extremely low over everyone's heads. The bird handlers also give children and other volunteers the opportunity to hold some of the multi-coloured parrots.
Visitors also have a close-up view of how these strong birds catch and devour their prey in seconds. All of the birds featured at Donjon des Aigles have been bred in captivity, most of them at the park but others are from North America and Europe. It is interesting to know that birds of prey do not drink any water as the fluid in fish and meat they consume provide enough water for them. It is said that birds in captivity can live for a very long time such as eagles which live longer that 40 years and vultures which can live longer than 50 years.
Donjon des Aigles closes during the winter months when the birds are allowed to shed their feathers and grow new ones for the harsher winter climate. The parrots and exotic birds of prey are housed in special facility where the climate has been adapted to suit them. The entrance fee for adults is 12 Euros while the entrance fee for children is 7 euros. Do not hesitate to visit Donjon des Aigles while on vacation in the South West of France as it will captivate young and old alike.
Nadine Visagie - I am a freelance journalist and full-time French student who currently live in the South of France with my fiancé. I graduated ...
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