Who would’ve thought of combining Europe’s biggest zoo with the Olympics? That’s what my daughter put together for us.
Liza first broached the idea of the Olympics almost immediately after our trip for the 2020 Olympics to Japan was destroyed by COVID-19. Once she received the opportunity to enter the ticket lottery, it became more real. When we bought our tickets to the spectacular beach volleyball stadium and the rugby 7 medal round at Stade de France, our attendance was assured.
I’ll never forget the conversation that led us to add Pairi Daiza to our itinerary. Liza had been following their Instagram account and began sharing videos with me. I was totally ignorant of Pairi Daiza, which in Old Persian translates to paradise in English. And it lived up to the moniker.
We decide to forgo the Olympic opening ceremony when the weather called for rain and the 13 hours we would be required to stand in the downpours. Boarding a bus in Paris, we journeyed to Brussels, boarded a train and arrived at Pairi Daiza just after it opened for the day.
With 185 acres and the opportunity to visit with more than 800 species in its “nine worlds” housing more than 7,500 animals, Pairi Daiza was the culmination of a dream for Eric Domb, founder and chairman. He discovered the property in 1992, abandoning his career and devoting himself to the creation of paradise out of the former Cistercian Abbey of Cambron, founded in 1148 in Brugelette by twelve monks from Clairvaux.
The majority of structures still visible at the site today date from the 18th century, when Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II ordered Cambron to be dissolved in 1783 and the monks were exiled to the Netherlands in 1789. Remnants remain… the abbey church of 1774, a monumental staircase of 1776, the entire medieval precinct wall and a 13th-century cellar that was formerly beneath the now-vanished lay brothers’ quarters, the main abbey gateway of 1722 and the former abbey farm with an 18th-century coach house.
“Pairi Daiza continues to grow with the highest level of theming and modern animal welfare,” quoted parkscout.de, recognizing the achievements and innovations of Europe’s leisure industry. For this reason, Pairi Daiza was named the best European Zoo for 2023 and 2024, ahead of other renowned zoos such as Loro Parque (Spain) and Leipzig Zoo (Germany).
Walking through its magnificent grounds is a mythical experience. For those who feel that zoos are little more than prisons, it breaks all the stereotypes. It’s Nine Worlds are exactly that, separate areas giving animals as close to their natural environments as possible. The majestic Middle Kingdom is the largest Chinese garden in Europe, home to Giant Pandas Hao Hao and Xing Hui, who arrived in Belgium in 2014 on a 15-year loan agreement. Their children Tian Bao, born in 2016, and twins Bao Di and Bao Mei, born in 2019, will leave Pairi Daiza Park in the autumn of 2024 to join the Chinese breeding program for the endangered species.
Entering Cambron-by-the-Sea, a former 19th-century neo-Gothic residence, is more like the interior of a submarine than an actual building. Interactive pools where you can walk above and below the surface are included as you journey through the aquatic residence. Portholes into the depths of aquatic tanks and their inhabitants dot the walls completing the underwater illusion. The transparent underwater tunnels rival any of the free-standing aquariums located on the seashores.
My favorite had to be the World of Origins, featuring Africa, the cradle of our civilization. I watched Shomari, a Western Lowland Gorilla and the dominant male at Pairi Daiza, sitting atop the highest point in his enclosure, intimidating, and the definite ruler of the domain. Beneath his gaze are elephants, lions, giraffes, hippopotamus, White Rhinoceros and zebras; he seemed more of a king than Simba. A viral Instagram/facebook post from 2019 led me to visit this king of Africa in Belgium. Both Shomari and Wazungu came to Pairi Daiza in 2016 just weeks apart, and their tests of strength and dominance were not out of the ordinary, but a natural extension of their lives together. Wazungu left Pairi Daiza on September 4, 2020, transferred to Zoo Safari de Thoiry. With a lifespan of 50-60 years, both of these males are in their 20s and ready to lead their own troupes. Swaggering is part of the lifestyle.
Pairi Daiza offers eight different “Animal Adventures” experiences, unique behind-the-scenes moments in the company of your favorite animals. Even more amazing are the rental accommodations within the park, with a unique perspective of the animals. The Penguin House offers an underwater view of the penguin pool, the Tiger House is conjoined with the tiger enclosure, and the Polar Bear House… well, you can probably guess. There’s also the Walrus House and the Full Moon Lodge, which invokes the wonder of Tolkien’s Hobbit house from the Lord of the Rings. The magical subterranean rock residence serves up round-the-clock views of wolves and bears. I can’t wait to spend several nights getting to know the animals of Pairi Daiza by sharing their home.
So Pairi Daiza was whole-heartedly worth the journey from Paris.
And Paris definitely delivered an Olympics to remember.
As a first time spectator at the Olympics, all I can say is it was the best city-wide party I have ever attended and boy am I glad I didn’t have to work. After Alex Sedrick ran the length of the field to give the US women’s Rugby 7 team a Bronze medal victory and we shouted ourselves hoarse, the celebration outside Stade de France was thrilling. Who would think that KFC serves beer just across the street from the venue? Who would think that KFC would become a party spot to cheer Rugby 7s with people from every country you’ve never heard of and is interested in where you are from?
But the best part of the Olympics was the spectacular Beach Volleyball stadium beneath the Eiffel Tower. Just walking up on the tower is impressive, but walking around the stands in its shadow was awe-inspiring. I have been in more stadiums than I can ever remember, but this one will always stand above. It lived up to its potential as the draw to the Olympics. I won’t ever forget it.
