We came here primarily for visiting the stork refuge as we read about of its existence in this…read morepark. I must say we were a little disappointed to be honest--perhaps due to our preconceived notion of what this "refuge" ought to be like... Yes, great efforts are made to restore storks population. However, as a "refuge" it fell short of what we expected. There were four storks (I assumed two couples) kept under a low net (about ten to twelve feet) habitat area. There were several poles with ready-made nest stands, and some of them already had nest built with sticks. That was pretty much the extent of habitat here. You can see a lot more of them in nature here and elsewhere. One of the write-ups was about the incubation of eggs, but I couldn't see any evidence of it during our visit. Oh well, we must've missed the prime season anyway. Nonetheless, the park is very nice and totally free to enter--even the zoo area. Zoo is open during certain hours during the day--they will check your COVID vaccination certificates, and you must wear mask and sanitize your hands before entering. There were many folks running around the park itself, and there was a yoga class about ready to start on a lawn. Flowers around the Orangerie were very pretty and well-cared for. The Rose Garden had some beautiful roses (photos) though it probably was close to the end of its season when we visited here. Parking is free around the park in the designated parking stalls. There are public restrooms--near one of the entrances for nominal cost. If you are in Strasbourg, you must come and visit this great park.

Strasbourg is a hidden gem of a city, and if you're lucky enough to be visiting it, make sure to…read morehead over to the Parc de l'Orangerie while you're there. Part Park, part petting zoo, and part regular zoo, it's an ideal way to enjoy the outdoors in Strasbourg no matter what the season. Although I visited during the late afternoon and during the winter, there was no shortage of activity, as the place buzzed with people and animals alike. After parking, a friend and I slowly meandered around and looked at the exotic birds. I was thrilled to see a Mandarin Duck idly paddling around in one of the ponds -- they're just as delightful in person as when I had seen their photos. A flock of flamingos occupies another pond, and one particular one was quite vocal that evening. A pleasant "tick-tock-tick" of ping pong balls wafted over from one part of the park as we walked around. We headed through the tree-lined walk to see the (enormous!) stork's nests in some of the trees as the Josephine Pavilion, stopping by Gaenseliesl to take her picture. On our way back we heard the unmistakable braying of a donkey from the petting zoo -- it was dinner time and he was eager for the human in the enclosure to come his way with his dinner. As the sun set, the visit to the Parc de l'Orangerie rounded out what could only be described as a perfect day in Strasbourg!