Away to live: Close encounters of the canine kind

My first encounter with wolves comes with gorgeous
views at Les Loups de Gévaudan park

The legend of a mysterious creature that injured or killed about 100 people — mostly women and children — in the Gévaudan area of France in the 18th century continues to spark imaginations. Was the wolf-like creature really a wolf, or was it a werewolf, a hyena, an escaped lion, a wolf-dog hybrid, a prehistoric predator, or a man? Was it just one beast that brutally attacked or was it a pack of wild animals? The hunt for la Bête du Gévaudan inspired hysteria in France at the time. Hunters combed the forests in search of the wolf — or whatever it was. A group of eight children were said to have "taken on the beast" with sticks to ward off an attack and received rewards from the king for their bravery.

After a treat from a park guide, these wolves at Les Loups de
Gévaudan park head into the woods.

More than 250 years later, visitors to this area, located in the heart of the Massif Central region, can enjoy, without fear, seeing more than 100 wolves in a beautiful outdoor sanctuary, Les Loups de Gévaudan. Like most children, I grew up with the stories of the "big bad wolves" who terrorized a little girl in a red hood and three little pigs. But this is my first chance to look into the eyes of these "beasts," who turn out to be — well, kind of cute.

I wonder what this wolf is thinking at Les Loups de
Gévaudan park.

This wolf stands still allowing me to take a close-up of him
(or her) at Les Loups de Gévaudan park. Kind of cute, right?

The park is home to five species of wolves from Siberia, Mongolia, Canada, Poland, and the Arctic. Although they're behind fences, the wolves have about a dozen hectares of natural rolling land and forests upon which they can roam. Many of the wolves here were saved from poachers, most notably by the Brigette Bardot Foundation. Here, they are well-fed, cared for when sick or old, studied, and admired. And once in a while, some wolves start their families here.

Visitors young and old have come to Les Loups de Gévaudan
park to check out the wolves on this brisk autumn morning.

On the morning of our visit, we join about a dozen other visitors, young and old, on a guided visit of the park. Since the tour is in French, we don't understand everything our guide says, but we're grateful we decided to join the tour instead of exploring the park on our own. Our guide carries a bucket of raw beef morsels, and along the way, the wolves come to greet her, giving us a chance to admire up close these members of the Canis Lupus (gray wolf) family.

The guide at Les Loups de Gévaudan park entices wolves out of
hiding while she shares her vast knowledge about these canines.

We walk along paved, sometimes steep, paths, on this beautiful autumn day. Signboards provide written info (in French and English) about wolves and warn us not to stick our fingers through the fences — not something I was tempted to do. Our leisurely pace allows time to admire the brilliant fall foliage views across the region.

Mother Nature seems to have used her paintbrushes in order to
give us this beautiful autumn view.

In addition to the wolves, the park contains a rustic playground, a café, and a really nice gift shop.

A child's visit to Les Loups de Gévaudan park may include
running-off-steam-time at this quaint playground.

Want to know more?

The History website (English) has a fascinating and comprehensive account of the Beast of Gévaudan.

Visit the Les Loups de Gévaudan website (French) for more wolf facts, a history of the park, and all the information one needs to plan a trip here.

In 1993, a fan of the beast legend opened Le Musée fantastique de la Bête du Gévaudan in Saugues, about 75 km from the wolf park. We didn't the go to the museum this time, but when we return in a few years, perhaps with our granddaughter, we'll check it out.