At the moment, at nightfall, young and old alike are having a blast at the Thoiry zoological park. Thousands of lanterns are displayed in the gardens of the Château de Thoiry for the 7e edition of its “wild lights”, until March 2.
With more than 700,000 visitors welcomed since its grand premiere in 2018, animation has become essential and established itself as the plus major light event in Île-de-France. The famous zoo Yvelines unveils, each year, a new magical journey of nearly 2 km of silk light sculptures made entirely by hand.
Wonderful journey inspired by Jules Verne
For this 7e edition, the route is inspired by “Extraordinary Journeys” by Jules Verne to immerse visitors in different fascinating worlds: aerial adventures, underwater diving, underground worlds and space explorations.
- The mysterious island: discovering a new world where insects, plants and reptiles come together.
- Five weeks in a balloon or the aerial adventures of a magical exploration of African fauna and flora.
- Twenty thousand leagues under the sea for a breathtaking underwater adventure and a dive into ocean wonders.
- Journey to the center of the Earth which reveals a fantastic underground world populated by prehistoric creatures.
- From the Earth to the Moon or the dream of space exploration in a magical and celestial universe.
- The Discoverers of Asia and their fascinating expedition into the Asian fauna and flora.
- Around the world in eighty days: a daring luminous journey across the globe and the diversity of its landscapes and species (space reserved for guests of Nuits de Thoiry accommodation).
In the end, the opportunity to treat yourself to a wonderful ride through dreamlike worlds in the heart of a magnificent park, and prolong the magic of the holidays.
2,500 lanterns and 20,000 LEDs
Every evening, there are no less than 2,500 lanterns unique illuminated by 20 000 ampoules LED which are exhibited in the gardens of the Château de Thoiry to offer a new immersive experience on nearly 6 hectares of nature.
The installation remains relatively energetically sober since 75% of the lanterns are restored and their electricity consumption is equivalent to only 1% of the annual consumption of the park thanks to energy efficient LED strips.
In fact, throughout the summer, many artists gave a second life to hundreds of silk structures in order to be able to integrate these lanterns into a new decor put in place at the end of October. A work of art carried out by a diverse team made up of designers, scenographers, welders and painters.
This real metamorphosis of the zoo offers a magical show to its visitors, just as to the Ile-de-France residents who only come to appreciate this pretty winter night walk.
