On a walk in the lot in the monkey forest

We are heading to Rocamadour. There is a protected park in the city, open to the public, where tribes of barbary macaques live, which can be observed while walking on the heights of the city.

The Monkey Forest, located in Rocamadour in the Lot, has been home to Barbary macaques for 50 years, who live in a 20-hectare wooded park. Visitors can immerse themselves in this protected area accompanied by Julien, the site manager.

Visitors are invited to hand in gloves and feed the monkeys. They also wear a green jacket to identify them as caregivers for a day. “So there you enter a park where there are 150 barbary macaques, in complete freedom, specifies the wizard. The first instruction is to never touch them or look them in the eye, they might take it as aggression. They come from Morocco and Algeria and live in mountainous areas between 800 and 2200 meters above sea level.

The opportunity to observe them very closely. And especially the baby monkeys that the males carry on their backs. “A man introduces a child to another man, strengthening his bonds of friendship.” When suddenly, we witness a small skirmish between the males. “They scream to impress themselves by showing their large canines, crying also allows them to gather a network of friends.”

The oldest monkey is 32 years old. “It is an exceptional age, corresponding to more than 110 years in humans,” comments a professional. And to add “We have abundant and abundant food, there are no predators. And the animals are medically monitored when necessary.”

The monkey forest is open from March 23, admission for children 7 euros and 11 euros for adults.

IN PRACTICE

Dordogne tourist office