If all your life you have dreamed of experiencing the emotions of the graceful flight of a common tern over the Loire, the Canopy of the Birds, the brand new animation of Terra Botanica, is for you. The first plant park in Europe, located at the gates of Angers (Maine-et-Loire), has deployed on 5,000 m2 state-of-the-art techniques and some well-known playful processes to transform its visitors into birds...
"This interactive immersive journey, which is a first, materializes the relationship between the plant world, at the heart of our DNA, and the animal world," summarizes Pierre Watrelot, director of the park. On the program: listening to birdsong by bone conduction (the sound reaches the ears of the visitor by vibrating his skeleton!) and travels in the air under the ramage of protected species – tern, falcon, rail – via augmented reality.
Osteophonic terminals and zip line
While Clarice Reis, in charge of development, has solicited innovative companies, such as Losonnante, in Isère, for osteophonic terminals, she has used the zip line (two 30 m courses), which simulates the flight of birds, and the observation tower (15 m high) with breathtaking views of the Lower Angevin Valleys, a vast wetland classified Natura 2000, whence rises, among so many others, the singular cry of the black-tailed godwit.
Finally, the curious will be able to visit an XXL nest, zigzag between the eggs of a 5 m high owl and dialogue with a repeating bird that challenges them. To see the smiles of the schoolchildren, who inaugurated the place this Friday, June 2, success is guaranteed. In 2022, Terra Botanica had shattered its attendance record with more than 460,000 visitors "including nearly 5,000 schoolchildren," says Boris Barré, head of animation.