Sigean, at the crossroads of territories.

Your suitcases are packed and ready, and you can’t wait to spend your vacations near the Mediterranean. But there are a few questions you need to ask yourself:

What to do in Agde What to do on my next vacation? What to do at La Tamarissière campsite? What activities are available in the Occitanie region?

Lots of unanswered questions. We’re here to help you plan your next vacation with peace of mind, and to give you ideas for things to do with your family, friends or partner. Located in the south of France, between Narbonne and Perpignan, discover this surprising and rejuvenating town for your vacations.

Just 70 km from Agde and 45 minutes by car, the town of Sigean, from its Occitan name “Sijan”, owes its name to an important Gallo-Roman agricultural estate: the villa “Sejanum”. Between land and sea, ponds and mountains, the town of Sigean has more than enough to surprise you! At the gateway to the Corbières and bordered by lagoons, this charming town boasts a variety of landscapes and draws its strength from its geographical location, which offers a multitude of varied activities.

Sea, Sun, Sigean

The Port Mahon nautical base

Alert all water sports enthusiasts! This nautical base will become your favorite place to practice the joys of water sports. Located in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional de la Narbonnaise and in the middle of the Etang de Bages-Sigean, this nautical base is the ideal place to enjoy the warm temperatures of the Mediterranean coast. On the program: kayaking, light sailing courses, catamaran initiation, boat rental and discovery of the maritime environment.

When you arrive on site, a parking lot and picnic area are available, so don’t hesitate to bring your snacks and a meal for the day. And if you’re feeling seasick, there’s a fitness trail and a hiking trail from the base.

Opening hours :

• From March 7, 2023 to June 30, 2023 and from September 1 to November 5, 2023
• Tuesday to Saturday, 09h00 to 17h00
• From July 1, 2023 to August 31, 2023
• Monday to Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday from 10.00 am to 6.30 pm

Address:

Ecole française de Voile – 1089 Port Mahon 11130 SIGEAN – Phone 09 60 18 13 70 or 06 06 66 78 42

In order to prepare your activity with complete peace of mind, we strongly advise you to contact the organizers before your arrival, especially if the site is very busy during the summer months .

An African safari less than an hour from Agde

The Sigean African reserve

The Réserve Africaine de Sigean is a wildlife park built in 1974 on a former wine-growing estate. Covering an area of 300 hectares, the zoo is home to almost 3,500 wild animals belonging to 160 different species, including 900 mammals, 2,000 birds and 600 reptiles. The reserve has been designed to provide a natural habitat not only for wild African animals, but also for wild flora and fauna. Its large surface area creates a semi-natural environment, enabling the animals to behave in a similar way to their counterparts living in the wild.

here are 2 ways to visit the park:

By car: The 7.5 km route is a veritable safari. In your own vehicle, drive through the 3 parks of the route in a real savannah atmosphere. Come face-to-face with Africa’s wild animals (lion, zebra, wildebeest, ostrich, giraffe…) This tour lasts around an hour, and if you haven’t had the chance to see all the animals, you can repeat the tour at another time of day.

Once the tour is over, park your vehicle in the park parking lot and start your walking tour.

On foot: The walk takes you along the ponds, offering a panoramic view of nature. You’ll discover numerous vision parks, a vivarium and even a tropical house. Enter the immersion aviary and let the sounds guide you.

For the very young: an enclosure with goats is available for them to touch and stroke.

Allow at least 1 hour for the game drive and 3 hours for the walking tour. It’s best to come early in the morning and spend the whole day at the park. Open 365 days a year, you can enjoy a terrace restaurant in summer and a covered restaurant in winter. The rest of the year, several snack bars are set up in the heart of the reserve. However, if you prefer, you can take your picnic with you, as tables and chairs are available for you to eat in peace and quiet.

Since its creation, the park has had 4 major missions:

Research “to add something to human knowledge in the field of wildlife”.

Advances in scientific research should be a priority for modern parks, and La Réserve Africaine de Sigean understands this. Indeed, since its creation, it has actively participated in various advances in the fields of biology, ethology, physiology and animal pathology. This active participation includes collaboration with various research agreements involving universities, veterinary schools, researchers and animal biologists. The aim of this research is to promote the survival of certain animal species that are under threat today (the endangered Grevy’s zebra since 2016, the critically endangered West African false-gavial solitary crocodile since 2013, the vulnerable African lion since 2014…).) As a result of this research, the zoo is constantly improving its captive conditions, trying to get as close as possible to their natural environments, by providing them with suitable food and living conditions conducive to their development and reproduction.

Conservation “Conserving endangered animal species for future generations”.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, hundreds of animal species have been officially declared extinct. Between 2010 and 2019, nearly 476 species became extinct. In 2020, the International Union for Conservation of Nature announced the disappearance of 31 species that year alone. Poaching, climate change and all these scourges are having a major negative impact on wildlife on a daily basis. The zoo’s aim is to act on two main conservation fronts: breeding endangered species to preserve their genetic heritage and make them available for reintroduction projects, and getting involved in field projects aimed at safeguarding or even reintroducing endangered species. This heavy toll underlines the responsibility of wildlife conservation by the various animal parks. Whether extinct or endangered, today’s wildlife parks are the only hope for wild animals to one day return to the environment they should never have left. To this end, since the 1980s, several zoos around the world have joined forces to create the EAZA association for European countries and the AZA for North America. The association subsequently appointed a coordinator whose mission is to issue annual guidelines to all associated parks for the exchange of species and animals, in order to maximize the chances of reproduction, while preserving the genealogical tree of the animals to avoid cases of inbreeding or genetic mutation of species.

Education “Promoting a better understanding of wildlife and the interdependence between animals and their environment”.

Because there’s no age limit for learning and discovering new things, the Réserve Africaine de Sigean makes it a point of honor to educate people about nature, with visits and an educational program that includes many schools in the region. The program includes safaris by coach, with an animal guide on board for around an hour. The tour by car allows you to get up close and personal with the different animal species (buffalo, zebra, bear, lion…). A 7.5km route, with commentary by the animal specialist. A walking tour is also available. Lasting around 2h30, you can explore the reserve under the guidance of one of the park’s educational teams. The big plus: invaluable comments and information from the professionals, plus the chance to discover the season’s new attractions and curiosities, as revealed by the guide. Finally, the nature break. This workshop is offered in small groups of around 15 people, and takes you behind the scenes of the park by visiting the observation rooms and handling feathers, fur, eggs, footprints and bone parts…

All formulas can be combined, subject to booking.

Leisure activities “Offering visitors the spectacle of wildlife”.

Whether you’re an animal lover or a curious beginner, La Réserve Africaine de Sigean leaves no one indifferent. Spread over more than 300 hectares, the zoo is a mix of garrigue, forest and ponds. It’s not just a healthy stroll, but also a rewarding activity. You can enjoy it as a family, with friends or as a couple. You’ll enjoy it all year round. Indeed, even if summer remains the most popular season for visitors, as the walking trail is very shady and numerous misters are installed along the way. The other seasons are just as interesting. Spring, synonymous with the season of love, is the ideal time to observe the births and first steps of the new young congeners. Autumn, with its gradations of color in the trees, is the ideal season for immortalizing beautiful landscapes. Finally, in winter, the animals don their winter plumage and furs, each more stunningly colored than the last. In short, every season is like a new visit.

Please note To guarantee your access to the park, it is compulsory to buy your tickets online, go to the La Réserve Africaine de Sigean website.

For your safety and the respect and well-being of the animals, it is imperative that you : Visit the park with your own vehicle; motorcycles and bicycles are prohibited. It is strictly forbidden to feed the animals in the park. It is important to drive slowly (10km) inside the park and to close your windows completely.

Opening hours :

November to March:

Open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

April, May, June and September:

Open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

July and August :

Open from 8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.

October :

Open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Address:

Réserve Africaine de Sigean, RD 6009 – 19 chemin Hameau du lac

11130 SIGEAN

Your favourite campsite : La Tamarissière campsite in Agde

Camping La Tamarissière

For your next seaside vacation, why not stay at La Tamarissière campsite in Agde? Its location is ideal if you’re looking for eco-tourism in the Hérault region. Take advantage of our wide range of 3-star campsite rentals. Whether you’re a couple or a family, camping La Tamarissière is the ideal place to stay during your vacation. Hidden in the heart of its pine forest, this seaside campsite is sure to delight the whole family. Campers at heart, our tent and caravan pitches with private sanitary facilities will become your favorite. For those in search of comfort, our various wooden chalets in the heart of nature will guarantee an unusual experience for your next vacation. Finally, for the more demanding, our accommodation with private swimming pool is made for you! And if you choose the Panoramik cottage, you’ll have a long viewpoint from which to observe the local wildlife. Enough to prolong the pleasure of budding explorers!

Tested and approved by our teams at camping La Tamarissière