Thoiry
In France, there is a village called Thoiry. It sits in a large, old forest. The most important part of the village is a beautiful castle, called a (château).The story of the castle begins a long time ago, in the year 1559. A rich man who worked for the king, named Raoul Moreau, wanted to build a special house. He hired a very smart builder. Together, they built the (Château de Thoiry). The building was made to be perfectly even on both sides. It had a special secret. The main doorway, or arch, was built to line up perfectly with the sun on two days of the year. On the longest day of summer and the shortest day of winter, the sun shines right through the middle of the castle. It fills the main room with golden light. It is a beautiful show of how nature and building can work together. For many, many years, the castle was a private home for the same family. The home was passed down from parents to their children. Even when big changes happened in France, the castle stayed a quiet and peaceful place.Let's go forward in time to the 1960s. A man from the same family, the Count of La Panouse, owned the castle. It was very expensive to take care of such a big, old house. But the Count had a new and exciting idea. In 1968, he and his wife decided to open their land to everyone. They built a zoo. It was a special kind of zoo where animals from Africa and other places could live in big, open areas, not small cages. Soon, the sound of lions roaring could be heard in the French forest. People came from all over to see giraffes, bears, and other animals in this "safari park." The park was a big success.Today, the old castle still stands, telling its long history. The park around it is a safe home for many animals. And twice a year, the sun still shines through the castle's arch, reminding everyone of the special place called Thoiry.