Fun Sites Provence, Alpes, Côte d'Azur Region

Aiguines  -  Var (83630)

Chauvel Yves Mini Golf

Location: quart Chabassole

Tel: 0494 702 228

Aix-en-Provence  -  Bouches-du-Rhône (13100)

Mini Golf du Val de l'Arc

Location: quart Arc de Meyran, chem Infirmeries

Tel: 0442 272 957

Antibes  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06600)

Antibes Land (beside Marineland)

Amusement park
Butterfly Jungle
Little Provencal Farm

Location: RN 7, Route de Biot, Antibes

Tel: 0493 334 949

Kart'on - Karting indoor

Location: ZAC des Trois Moulins; Rue des Lamberts (near the Antibes autoroute exit)

Open: Mon-Thur 18h-midnight; Fri 18h-02h; Sat 14h-02h; Sun 12h-20h.

Tel: 0493 748 989; Fax: 04 93 74 66 10

Adventure Golf (Mini-golf)

Location: Parking Marineland

Tel: 0493 334 949

Mini Golf de la Brague

Location: rte Biot

Tel: 0493 746 745

Le Bar-sur-Loup  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06620)

Karting

Go-kart rental and driving, age 5+

Location: Plateau de la Sarrée, Route de Gourdon

Open: daily, 12h--19h

Tel: 0493 424 808

La Barben  -  Bouches-du-Rhône (13330)

5 km east of Salon-de-Provence

Zoo - Parc Zoologique de La Barben

Location: D572; 6 km east of Salon; 4 km west of St-Canat (near La Barben Castle)

Open: 7 days; 10h-18h

Tel: 0490 551 912; Fax: 04 90 55 27 75

Animals in their natural habitat in the 30 Ha Nature Reserve; Exotic aquarium-vivarium; play areas.

Brignoles  -  Var (83170)

Parc MiniFrance

Location: RN7, ZAC Nicopolis, 5 km east of Brignoles

Open: Tue-Sun

Closed: Mon

Tel: 0494 692 600; Fax: 0494 590 858

CLOSED! The Parc MiniFrance has a large number of miniatures (1/100th and 1/50th scale) of many of France's most famous sites located in a park setting. Most stand about knee-high to waist-high.
Entry is 35F adult; 100 F for the family. There's also a restaurant and a swimming pool.

Caille  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06750)

Arbre & Aventure

Tree Adventures - Cables, walkways and nets strung between trees in the forested hills of the Montagne de Audibergue. Seven different routes, for all ages: 5 years and up, 8 years and up, on up to the adults' Super Tyro.

Location: Parc de la Moulière, outdoor sports area by the hamlet of La Moulière, 6 km southeast of Caille village.

Open: May, June, Sept: weekends and holidays. July-August: daily

Tel: 0493 366 057, or 0660 605 625

Email: cailleacrobranche@yahoo.fr

Web: www.geocities.com/cailleacrobranche

Cannes  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06400)

Cannes Bowling - Billiards

Location: 189 av Françis Tonner (just past the Cannes-Mandelieu airport)

Open: 7 days a week, 15h-02h30

Carnoules  -  Var (83660)

Touristique Train Center Var - Train Touristique du Centre Var

A 24-km rail trip between Carnoules and Brignoles in the Var on a 1950's "autorail" railway car. This is on part of the 19th-century railway line that linked Carnoules and Brignoles to St-Maximin and Gardanne to the west.

Open: April-May: Sundays; Jun-Sept: Sundays-Wednesdays; Oct-Nov 1st: Sundays
Summer: Depart Carnoules 10h, 15h; Depart Brignoles 11h25 (check their website for details)

Entry: 9 € adults; Children 4-10 years, 5 €

Web: attcv.ifrance.com

Cuges-les-Pins  -  Bouches-du-Rhône (13780)

25 km east of Marseille; 10 km east of Aubagne

Ok Corral

Western Town leisure park, Big Wheel, Roller-coasters.

Location: RN 8

Tel: 0442 738 005

Digne-les-Bains  -  Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04000)

Le Jardin des Papillons

Also a Musée Promenade

Open: July-Aug guided visits daily; July 11h, 14h30, 16h; Aug 10h, 11h30, 14h30.
June guided visits by request, 11h, 14h30, 16h.
Apr, May, Sept guided visits by request, Mon-Tue, Thur-Fri.

Entry: 4.60 euros, kids 2.75. Promenade and Papillons 6 euros, kids 4 euros.

Tel: 0492 367 070, or 0630 309 963

Web: www.proserpine.org

Tour though a 1-hectare (2 acre) open space with a naturalist guide, dedicated entirely to regional butterflies and their preferred flowers.

Blayeul Museum - Musée-Promenade Blayeul

Also a Butterfly Garden

Open: Apr-Oct, 7/7, 9h-12h, 14h-17h30 (16h30 Fridays). Nov-Mar closed on weekends and holidays.

Entry: 4.60 euros, kids 2.75. Promenade and Papillons 6 euros, kids 4 euros.

Tel: 0492 367 070

Web: www.resgeol04.org

Stroll in a geological reserve of fossils, in a park full of waterfalls and streams. Ten aquariums of tropical and Mediterranean fish alongside their ancient fossils.

Ensuès-la-Redonne  -  Bouches-du-Rhône (13820)

20 km west of Marseille; 16 km east of Martigues.

Eldorado City

Far West town, Poney trekking, Entertainment.

Location: Chateauneuf-les-Martigues, 13220

Open: March to mid November

Tel: 0442 798 690; Fax: 04 42 76 19 91

Fréjus  -  Var (83600)

Aquland Fréjus

The largest aquatic park on the Côte d'Azur. The Aqualand parks are full-fleged theme parks

Location: Quartier le Capou - RN98

Open: Every day 6 June - 6 Sept;
20 June - 5 July, 30 Aug 6 Sept 10h-18h; 6 July - 30 Aug: 10h-19h

Entry: (2009) €24.50. Season pass all Aqualands, 1 person: €79

Email: aqualand.frejus@aqualand.fr

Web: www.aqualand.fr/les-parcs,frejus.html

Largest aqupark of the Cote d'Azur, water slides of all sizes and types. Mini-golfs. Pedalos. Attractions and activities.

Hyères  -  Var (83400)

Kiddy Parc - Parc d'Attractions pour Enfants

A 3-hectare amusement theme park for kiddies, 500 meters from the Port de Hyères. Rides, slides, animals, water slides and games, go-karts, and so on.

Location: Port d'Hyères

Open: April - September

Entry: Kids over 2 years: 13.50€ Parc; 15.50€ Parc + Cirque; 17.00€ Parc + Cirque + Jeux d'Eau (Water Games)

Email: infos@kiddyparc.com

Web: www.kiddyparc.com

Golf Mini Hyérois

Location: 810 chem Roubaud

Tel: 0494 572 500

Istres  -  Bouches-du-Rhône (13800)

Pyramide, La

Aquatic Part "The Lagoon", water chutes, "tidal wave" swimming pool.

Location: Rue de l'Equerre

Tel: 0442 569 999

La Londe-les-Maures  -  Var (83250)

Seaside village 8 km east of Hyères, 12 km west of Le Lavandou.

Jardin d'Oiseaux Tropicaux - Tropical Birdland

Tropical birds, in a 6-hectare parc of cork pine and eucalyptus.

Location: Rte de Valcros

Open: June-Sept 9h30-19h30; Oct-May 14h-18h.

Tel: 0494 350 215

Lourmarin  -  Vaucluse (84160)

Mini Golf du Laurier

Location: Les Ferrailles

Tel: 0490 681 407

Malaucène  -  Vaucluse (84340)

Mini Golf du Groseau

Location: cabanon Le Groseau

Tel: 0490 652 867

Mandelieu-la-Napoule  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06210)

On the west side of Cannes.

Parc de la Vernède et de Robinson

Menton  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06500)

Mini-Golf du Parc de loisirs Koaland

Location: Ave de la Madone

Tel: 0492 100 040

Mini-Golf du Pian

Location: 9 av Blasco-Ibanez

Tel: 0493 577 693

Nice  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06000)

Kindia Park

Childrens attractions

Location: Parc de Vaugrenir - RN 7; Villeneuve Loubet

Tel: 0493 656 192

Marionnettes and Childrens Shows

Clown, Grenadine, Magician

Location: 28 rue El-Nouzah

Tel: 0493 802 183

Show at the Castel des 2 Rois

Location: Corniche André de Joly

Open: Wed, Sat, Sun - 16h, 17h.

Astorama

Discovering astronomy, planetarium, telescopes.

Location: Rte de la Revère, Grande Corniche, Col d'Eze

Open: July-Aug - every night starting at 18h30. Sept-June - Tue, Fri starting at 18h30.

Tel: 0493 858 558; Fax: 04 93 85 62 85

Observatory of the Côte d'Azur

Visit the observatory

Location: Bd Bischoffsheim

Open: Saturday 15h

Tel: 0493 858 558; Fax: 04 93 85 62 85

Théâtre de la Cité et Théâtre Chou

4 children's shows alternately in both theateres

Open: Sat 14h30

Tel: 0493 268 345

Aquascope - Trans Côte d'Azur

Explore the underwater world from a glass-bottomed boat.

Location: Quai Lunel, 06300 Port de Nice

Open: Spring - daily 9h, 10h, 11h, 14h, 15h, 16h, 17h, 18h.

Tel: 0492 004 230; Fax: 04 92 00 42 31

Trans Côte d'Azur - Sea Excursions

Sea excursions along the coast, departing from Nice or St-Laurent-du-Var.

Location: Quai Lunel, 06300 Port de Nice

Tel: 0492 004 230; Fax: 04 92 00 42 31

Nice Côté Mer: 1 hr; Cap de Nice, Cap Ferrat, Baie de Villefranche, Promenade des Anglais. Monaco: all day or afternoon: Cap Ferrat, Baie de Villefranche, Beaulieu, Eze, to Monaco. San Remo: with a stop for shopping at San Remo. Iles de Lerins. Corniche d'Or: 2 hrs; departs from Sainte Marguerite (Iles de Lerins) Saint-Tropez.

Les Pennes-Mirabeau  -  Bouches-du-Rhône (13170)

Northern outskirts of Marseille, 15 km southwest of Aix-en-Provence.

Aqualand

Large aquatic park, chutes, "tidal wave" swimming pool rapids, dodgem boats.

Location: Plan de Campagne, Rte de Septèmes; On the N8

Saint Cannat  -  Bouches-du-Rhône (13760)

Small Medieval on a farming plain, now surrounded by more modern housing. Remains of the 12th-century Notre-Dame de Vie chapel was the first parish church of St Cannat. Nine fountains including one by Amandier, 1657. A 17th-c statue of St-Cannat; statue of Bailli de Suffren. An excellent regional and historical museum. - 15 km northwest of Aix-en-Provence; 5 km southeast of Lambesc.

Village des Automates

Location: N7; 1 km SE of St-Cannat. 15 km northwest of Aix-en-Provence; 5 km southeast of Lambesc.

Open: 1 apr-30 sept: 7 days; 10h-18h 1 oct-31 mar: wed, sat, sun, holidays; 10h-18h

Tel: 0442 573 030

Over 500 robots displayed in an outdoor park of pine and rosemary.

Saint Cyr-sur-Mer  -  Var (83270)

10 km east of La Ciotat; 5 km southwest of La Cadière-d'Azur; 30 km southeast of Marseille.

Aquland Saint Cyr-sur-Mer

A unique environment of water rides and activities.

Location: ZAC des Pradeaux

Tel: 0494 320 832; Fax: 04.94.32.11.02

Email: aqualand.stcyrsurmer@aqualand.fr

Web: www.aqualand.fr/les-parcs,saint_cyrsmer.html

Saint Jean-Cap-Ferrat  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06230)

Zoo Cap Ferrat

Location: The Parc Zoological is located in the northwestern part of the peninsula, just past the Office de Tourisme.

Open: Every day of the year.

Tel: 0493 760 760

Over 300 animals, with Bear Mountain, Tiger Zone, Crocodile Beach, African Plain.

Saint Vallier-de-Thiey  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06460)

Grotte Baume Obscure Souterroscope

Visit the underground caves; 15 minutes from Grasse.

Location: Chemin de Sainte-Anne

Open: Apr-June, Sept: 10h-17h weekdays, 10h-19h weekends. July-Aug: 10h-19h daily; Oct-Mar: 10h-17h weekends.

Tel: 0493 426 163; Fax: 04 93 42 69 19

Underground temperature 13 deg C, bring warm clothing.

Grottes des Audides

Underground caves (grottes) and musuem, parc prehistoric.

Location: Route de Cabris CD4

Open: July-Aug, daily, 10h-18h; Sept, June, except Tue, 14h-17h Oct-May, except Mon-Tue, 14h-17h

Tel: 0493 426 415

Underground temperature 13 deg C, bring warm clothing.

Brignoles  -  Var (83170)

Touristique Train Center Var - Train Touristique du Centre Var

A 24-km tourist train between Carnoules and Brignoles in the Var passes by the northern edge of Sainte Anastasie-sur-Issole.

Open: April-May: Sundays; Jun-Sept: Sundays-Wednesdays; Oct-Nov 1st: Sundays
Summer: Depart Carnoules 10h, 15h; Depart Brignoles 11h25 (check their website for details)

Entry: 9 € adults; Children 4-10 years, 5 €

Web: attcv.ifrance.com

Sainte Maxime  -  Var (83120)

Aqualand

An aqua-parc, located at Les Bosquets, on the D25 road (towards the A8) just north of town.

Aquland Sainte Maxime

The most recent of the Aqualands, at the doors of the Gulf of Saint Tropez.

Location: Route Plan de la Tour

Tel: 0494 555 454; Fax: 04.94.55.54.55

Email: aqualand.stmaxime@aqualand.fr

Web: www.aqualand.fr/les-parcs,sainte_maxime.html

Camargue  -  Bouches-du-Rhône (13)

Pont de Gau Bird Park - Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau

Bird park, bird zoo and museum in the Camargue.

Location: Main D570 road, 4.5 km north of Stes-Maries.

Tel: 0490 978 262

Sauze-du-Lac  -  Hautes-Alpes (05160)

la Montagne aux Marmottes

Eco-Parc Animalier - Nature Space

Location: Domain des Grisons, Rte de Barcelonnette; 10 km from Savines-le-Lac

Open: Apr-Oct 9h30-19h00; Nov-Mar 9h30-18h.

Tel: 0492 443 200, or 0492 924 007; Fax: 0492 44 32 04

A 3-hectare nature park. Close obervation of marmottes, including glass-sided dens. Live wild animals (badger, fox, deer, mouflon). Museum of mountain animals (lynx, wolf, chamoix, etc.). Reconstruction of a prehistoric grotto. Botanical walk. Kids games, climbing wall.

Senanque Abbey (Abbaye de Senanque)  -  Vaucluse (84220)

A beautiful and still-working 12th century abbey, one of the Three Sisters of Provence.

Location: 6 km north of Gordes

Open: Visits begin: mornings 10h30 (except Jan, Nov-Dec); earlier June-Aug afternoons: 14h30 - 16h30

Closed: 5-18 Jan; 20 Nov; 25 Dec.

Entry: 7 €, guided only

Tel: 0490 720 572; Fax: 0811 382 296

Email: visites@senanque.fr

Web: www.senanque.fr

Thorenc  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06750)

Reserve Biologique des Monts d'Azur

This 700 hectare animal park is home to a herd of European Bison, the Mongolian Wild Horse (Przewalski's Horse, Dzungarian Horse, Asian Wild Horse), deer and wild boar. Guided visits (safaris) are in small groups, either walking or by horse-drawn carriage (calèche). Snowshoe visits (safaris) are available in the winter.

The site has a buffet and restaurant, and package prices are available for safari + dining. There are also rooms available, for overnight and two-night visits.

Location: Domaine du Haut-Thorenc; 700 m east of the junction of the D5 (from Andon) with the D2 east-west road.

Open: 1 March to the first weekend of January

Closed: Jan - Feb

Entry: Walking guided visits take 1h30, in groups of 8 to 12. 18 euros adults, 10 euros children. Horse carriage visits take 1h30, in groups of 10 to 12. 12 euros adults, 12 euros children.

Tel: 0493 600 078; Fax: 0493 600 078

Web: www.haut-thorenc.com/index.2.html

The Reserve brought in their first European Bison (Bison bonasus) from Pologne in 2005 and 2006, and the herd has prospered and expanded here. In this thickly forested area, the bison create clearings that are great for biodiversity.

Przewalski's Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) is a small, wild horse that once ranged over the plains and steppes of Europe and Asia. Over 600 cave drawings of the Przewalski's Horse date from 30'000 to 9'000 years ago. Modern times were unkind to the breed, and the race was reduced to official extinction (except for two captive populations in Munich and Prague zoos) in 1945. Careful breeding and repopulation of protected areas, such as the Reserve Biologique des Monts d'Azur, has raised the classification to "critically endangered".

Villeneuve-Loubet  -  Alpes-Maritimes (06270)

Between Nice and Antibes; beside Cagnes-sur-Mer.

Adventure labryinth - Le Labyrinthe de l'Aventure

A maze of 4 kms of alleys and dead-ends, where games are hidden for young and old. The 2009 theme: The Great Explorers.

Location: Route D2085 (direction Grasse), 2 km past Villeneuve-Loubet village.

Open: 11 April - 11 Nov

Entry: 10.50 € adults; 8.50 € for 4-12 years.

Tel: 0492 020 606, or 0672 721 776; Fax: 0492 020 606

Email: azurlabyrinthe@wanadoo.fr

Web: www.lelabyrinthedelaventure.com

Vinon-sur-Verdon  -  Var (83560)

Farmyard Animal Park - Parc Animalier Domestique

Location: Between Vinon and Grêoux-les-Bains, south of Manosque.

Open: All year, 10h-19h.

Entry: €6; under-3 years free

Tel: 0492 788 825

Web: www.parc-animalier-verdon.com

Includes donkeys of Provence and Greece, cattle of the Camargue and Thailand, camels, llamas, alpagas, Angora goats, poneys, ducks and swans. Playground, video games, kids games, mini-golf, free poney rides.