Top 5 of France’s best aquariums to visit

Do you have a thirst for discovery? With friends, family or just the two of you, there’s nothing like a visit to an aquarium to fill your eyes with stars. We’ve put together a selection of the best aquariums in France, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

What are the best aquariums in France?

1. La Rochelle Aquarium

The La Rochelle aquarium deserves its title as Europe’s largest aquarium, with a huge number of ecosystems.
With over 82 aquariums, 12,000 marine animals and 20 shark specimens, the aquarium brings together biodiversity from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic and the tropics.

Photo of the La Rochelle aquarium/Shutterstock

Photo of the entrance to the La Rochelle aquarium/Shutterstock

Founded by René Cutan in 1970, the La Rochelle aquarium is a family affair. His children, Roseline and Pascale, have in turn developed the business, making it possible, thanks to the 800,000 visitors each year, to fund scientific research and help preserve biodiversity by raising awareness.
If you want to avoid an overly influential flow of people, opt for weekends in summer and buy tickets in advance, and also avoid rainy days between 10am and 4pm.
The visit lasts between 1? and 2 hours, after which you can rest and refresh yourself at the “Là Haut” brewery. If you’d like to take home a souvenir, the aquarium also has a shop for young and old.

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

• 10 July to 31 August 08h30 23h
• 1 September to 30 September 09:00 to 20:00
• 21 October to 20 November 10am to 8pm
• 6 November to 31 December 10am to 8pm

Prices :

Screenshot from the larochelle.fr website

As far as means of transport are concerned, it is possible to come by car.
If so, it’s best to arrive 30 minutes early so that you can park. If you run out of space, you can park nearby.
Alternatively, you can take the bus, train or boat. The train station is a convenient 5-minute walk from the aquarium.

2. Nausicaà in Boulogne sur mer

The Nausicaà aquarium is located in Boulogne-sur-Mer, in the centre of the Opal Coast.
As Europe’s largest aquarium, it offers a range of exhibitions and conferences designed to raise awareness of the sea.
The 220 employees and partners study species and work to conserve them.
Nausicaà covers more than 10,000m2 of exhibition space, with 58,000 animals and more than 1,600 species.

Photo of the entrance to the 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 the Centre’s public service mission thanks to its partnership with the French Ministry of Education. A large number of educational activities are offered for school classes, enabling all levels to be catered for. UNESCO awarded the aquarium the title of Centre of Excellence for Marine Environmental Education in 1999.

Now for some practical information on how to get there:

• The aquarium is open every day from 9.30am to 6.30pm.
• Except on: 25 December and from 08 to 26 January 2024.
• On 1 January the aquarium opens from 2pm to 6.30pm.

For prices, please see below:
(Please note that tickets for the current day are on sale at the ticket office until 1h30 before the Centre closes).

Screenshot of the nausicaa.fr website

Here are the availabilities of the aquarium:

3. Océanopolis Brest

This National Centre for Scientific Culture dedicated to the ocean has been open for over 30 years and is managed by Brest’aim.
Océanopolis consists of three pavilions (Brittany, tropical and polar) with 1,000 different species, 10,000 animals, 77 aquariums and 1 otter trail.
The aquarium works in partnership with national and international organisations involved in the marine world, to create scientific culture events and much more.
Events are organised throughout the year to educate visitors and raise their awareness of the marine world, as well as temporary exhibitions and even the creation of new aquariums.

Visits last around 3 hours, or even half a day.
During your visit, you can make the most of the restaurant area. Please note that all visits are final, so make sure you have a snack break at the end.
Parking is free and easy to access.

Prices :

Screenshot from oceanopolis.com

4. La Cité De La Mer-CHERBOURG / Normandy

Photo of the entrance to the Cité de la Mer/ Shutterstock

Head for Normandy, and more specifically Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, to discover La Cité de La Mer. Frédéric Moncany de Saint-Aignan, the new president, has decided to end 2023 on a high note by organising 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 featuring 3 multimedia floors and 17 aquariums bringing together sharks, sperm whales and shoals of plankton.
• A gallery of real or reconstructed underwater vehicles, featuring the greatest international aquanauts.
• Audio tour of the first nuclear submarine “Le Redoutable”.
• 2 screenings in the Cité de la Mer’s Jacques Perrin Auditorium (“Quand la mer raconte la Normandie” and “20 jours pour Cherbourg”).

How to get to the Cité de la Mer :

Address: ALL. u Président Menut, 50100 Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
By road:
1 h 15 from Caen
2 hours 30 minutes from Rouen, Rennes or Le Havre and 3 hours 30 minutes from Paris
National 13, Côte des Iles or Val de Saire :
Follow, Car Ferries / La Cité de la Mer
Free parking

By train :
Paris St-Lazar / Caen / Cherbourg-en-Cotentin by Corail intercité.
The station is a 15-minute walk away.

Prices :
Please note that ticket offices close 1? hours before the site closes.

Screenshot of citedelamer.com website

Services:

The Cité de la Mer has a restaurant and snack bar. You can take a lunch break and resume your visit afterwards. Rather practical when you’re feeling peckish!

If you’d like a little souvenir, there’s a shop for all ages. The shop is accessible even without having visited the site, and you’ll find books on the history of the site or on some of the exhibitions already on show.

5. Planet Ocean Montpelier

This latest aquarium makes a point of educating its public about the conservation and protection of the different species and biodiversity of the seabed.

Photo of the 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 Ocean. Their aim is to provide a fun way to discover the 5,000 residents of the complex.
They also run programmes to preserve wild animal species, such as :

• Sharing information gathered by researchers and colleagues.
• They also organise species exchanges and donations with French and international aquariums.
• Finally, they take part in breeding programmes in protected environments.

A visit to the aquarium gives you the chance to watch the feeding, diving and other activities on offer.
Group outings for schools, leisure centres and possible as well as professional group outings for works councils or tourism professionals.

Practical info :

Opening times :

The site is open every day from 10am to 6pm.
You can book or not, but last admission to the aquarium is until 5pm.

The shop is open from 10am to 6pm.

Good to know:

• Access for pushchairs is possible, and changing tables are available.
• Visitors under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
• No cloakrooms or lockers

Now it’s up to you to choose the aquarium that appeals to you and that will give you an incredible experience in the midst of this delicate and wonderful world.
Here are a few suggestions for things to do in addition to and around the aquariums: