What are the best aquariums in France?

1. La Rochelle Aquarium

La Rochelle aquarium deserves its title as Europe's largest aquarium, with a significant number of ecosystems.

It's more than 82 aquariums, 12,000 marine animals and 20 shark specimens that bring together biodiversity from the Mediterranean, Atlantic and tropical waters.

Photo of La Rochelle aquarium/Shutterstock

Photo of the entrance to La Rochelle aquarium/Shutterstock

Founded by René Cutan in 1970, La Rochelle aquarium comes from a family history. His children, Roseline and Pascale, have in turn developed the business allowing, thanks to the 800,000 visitors each year, to finance scientific research and help preserve biodiversity with awareness actions.

If you want to avoid too heavy a flow of people, prefer weekends in summer and buy tickets in advance, also avoid rainy days between 10am and 4pm.

Any exit is final, the visit lasts between 1h30 and 2h, you can then rest and hydrate at the "Là Haut" brewery. If you want to bring back a souvenir, it's also possible, the aquarium offers its shop for young and old.

The aquarium is open all year round, here are the opening hours:

• July 10 to August 31 8:30am 11pm
• September 1 to September 30 9am 8pm
• October 21 to November 20 10am to 8pm
• November 6 to December 31 10am to 8pm

Rates:

Screenshot from larochelle.fr website

Regarding transportation, it is possible to come by car.

If this is the case, it is preferable to arrive 30 minutes earlier to be able to park. In case there are no more spaces, it is possible to park in the surrounding area.

Otherwise you can use the bus, train, or boat. The train is also an option, the station is located 5 minutes walk from the aquarium, which is very convenient.

2. Nausicaà in Boulogne sur mer

The Nausicaà aquarium is located in Boulogne-sur-Mer, in the center of the Opal Coast.

Being Europe's largest aquarium, different exhibitions or conferences are offered to raise awareness about the sea.

The 220 employees and partners study species and work for their conservation.

Nausicaà is more than 10,000m2 of exhibition space, bringing together 58,000 animals and more than 1,600 species.

Photo of the entrance to Nausicaà aquarium/Shutterstock

Photo of an aquarium at Nausicaà/Shutterstock

Since 1991, the aquarium has welcomed more than 20 million visitors, including 5 million schoolchildren. This figure is not insignificant, as Nausicaà is part of a public service mission of the Center thanks to its partnership with the National Education. Many educational activities are offered for classes, accommodating all school levels. UNESCO rewarded the aquarium in 1999 with the title of Center of Excellence for Marine Environmental Education.

Now, some practical info to get there:

• The aquarium is open every day from 9:30am to 6:30pm
• Except on: December 25 and from January 8 to 26, 2024.
• On January 1, the aquarium opens from 2pm to 6:30pm.

For rates, here they are below:

(Note that same-day tickets are sold at the ticket office until 1h30 before the Center closes).

Screenshot from nausicaa.fr website

Here are the aquarium's availabilities:

3. Océanopolis Brest

This National Center for Scientific Culture dedicated to the ocean has been open for more than 30 years and is managed by Brest'aim.

Océanopolis consists of three pavilions (Bretagne, tropical and polar) with 1,000 different species, 10,000 animals, 77 aquariums and 1 otter trail.

This aquarium maintains collaborations with national and international structures related to the marine world, to enable the creation of scientific culture events and much more.

All year round, activities are organized to educate and raise awareness among visitors about the marine world, but also temporary exhibitions or even the development of new aquariums.

The visit lasts about 3 hours, or even half a day.

During your visit you can enjoy the restaurant area. Be careful, any exit is final, so prefer the snack break at the end.

Parking is free and easily accessible.

The Rates:

Screenshot from oceanopolis.com website

4. La Cité De La Mer-CHERBOURG / Normandie

Photo of the entrance to la cité de la mer/ Shutterstock

Head to Normandie, and more precisely to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin to discover La Cité de La Mer. Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan, the new president has decided to end 2023 in style by organizing countless events and exhibitions.

Event to follow:

• Temporary exhibition of 43 objects found around the wreck of the famous Titanic.
• Dive into "the Ocean of the future" an immersive experience within 3 multimedia floors and 17 aquariums bringing together sharks, sperm whales, but also plankton banks.
• A gallery of real or reconstructed underwater vehicles, retracing the greatest international oceanographers.
• Audio-guided tour of the first nuclear submarine "Le Redoutable"
• 2 screenings to discover in the Jacques Perrin Auditorium at La Cité de la Mer ("When the sea tells the story of Normandie" and "20 days to Cherbourg").

How to get to la cité de la mer:

Address: ALL. u Président Menut, 50100 Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

By road:

1 h 15 from Caen

2 h 30 from Rouen, Rennes or Le Havre and 3h30 from Paris

Nationale 13, the Islands coast or the Val de Saire:

Follow, Car Ferries / La Cité de la Mer

Free parking

By train:

Paris St-Lazare / Caen / Cherbourg-en-Cotentin by Corail intercity.

The station is located 15 minutes on foot.

The Rates:

Note, ticket offices close 1h30 before the site closes.

Screenshot from citedelamer.com website

The Services:

La Cité de la Mer offers a restaurant area with a Snack/Bar and a restaurant. It is possible to take a lunch break and resume your visit afterwards. Pretty convenient when you have a small craving!

If you want a small souvenir, the shop is at your disposal and it's for all ages. The shop is accessible even without having visited the site, you will find books on the history of the site or on certain exhibitions already presented.

5. Planet Océan Montpelier

This last aquarium makes it a point of honor to raise awareness among its public about conservation and protection of different species and biodiversity of the seabed.

Photo of Planet Ocean aquarium in Montpelier/Shutterstock

"We protect what we love, and we love what we know" this quote from Jacques-Yves Cousteau reflects the work carried out by Planet Océan. Their goal is to playfully introduce the 5000 residents of the complex.

They also conduct programs for the preservation of wild animal species such as:

• Sharing information collected through researchers and colleagues.
• They also organize exchanges and donations of species with French or international aquariums.
• And finally, they participate in breeding programs in protected environments.

Visiting this aquarium is an opportunity for you to contemplate feeding, diving and many other activities offered.

School group, leisure center outings are possible as well as professional group outings for works councils or tourism professionals.

Practical info:

Opening hours:

The site is open daily from 10am to 6pm

You can book or not, however the last access to the aquarium is until 5pm

The shop remains open from 10am to 6pm

To know:

• Stroller access is possible, changing tables available.
• Visitors under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
• No lockers or storage

Now, it's up to you to choose the aquarium that pleases you and that will allow you to live an incredible experience in the middle of this so delicate and wonderful world.

Here are some suggestions for activities to do in addition and around the aquariums: