Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer

The touch tank

The touch tank at Nausicaá aquarium gives children the chance to get hands-on with some marine fauna. The fish in the touch tank are cold water fish and are common to the North Sea and the Atlantic. Species like ray, cod, turbot and halibut gather in the pool, where they let you stroke them or swim to your hands for a caress!

Stars of the Touch Tank are the Thornback ray and the small-spotted catshark. Yes, you can touch a shark! 

The jellyfish at Nausicaá aquarium

There are lots of jellyfish at Nausicaá – partly because they are a form of plankton and the first link in the marine food chain. But also because the seas have more jellyfish than ever before, as climate change makes the water warmer and less suitable for some of their predators. In several of the aquarium’s exhibitions you can marvel at the balletic beauty and radiance of different species, such as the moon jellyfish, the compass and the golden jellyfish.

Plus, you are quite safe and won’t get a nasty sting!

Watch the sealions from a glass tunnel

You can cross the huge tank via an 18-metre-long tunnel, which takes you onto the sea bed of the Ocean. Stroll around among manta rays in the calm, soothing atmosphere, and duck when a grey shark skims over your head!

Sea lions swim all around you. They are one of the all-time favourite animals of Nausicaá. Hunted for their fur and meat, sea lions were close to extinction towards the end of the 20^th century. They have now been saved, and at Nausicaá aquarium they entertain visitors with their daily physicals under the watchful eye of their trainers, or just laze around on the rocks in the Californian reserve.   

The impressive lord of the seas

You will see a vast array of sharks at Nausicaá aquarium – from big to small, scary to, well, not quite so scary. You might be surprised by exactly how many different varieties of shark there are, and how so many are nothing like the conventional image of the great white shark, the ‘lord of the seas’. At Nausicaá there are sand tiger sharks, leopard sharks, nurse, carpet, zebra, bull and spotted hound sharks.

Giants of the High Seas

The Giants of the High Seas is the latest augmented reality experience at Nausicaá, in which you discover the little-known and inaccessible world of the deep sea and meet the majestic animals that inhabit it. The setting for the experience are the waters around Malpelo Island, a Pacific zone which is a major habitat for endangered marine life and a focus for many of the exhibitions at Nausicaá.

Wearing a set of AR smart glasses, you enter an immersive, sensorial and spectacular experience, right in the heart of the ocean. The leatherback turtle will accompany you on your journey, bringing you into contact with breathtaking species such as the whale shark, giant jellyfish and Bryde’s whale. You learn more about what is hidden in the deepest reaches of the ocean, and about the biodiversity and environment of Malpelo Island.

The Giants of the High Seas is projected onto a 100m² window, and the experience is included in your Nausicaá entrance ticket.

Fun facts about Nausicaá aquarium

Here are some things you might not know about Nausicaá, the second most popular tourist attraction in France north of Paris:

• It is home to 58,000 animals
• Encompassing 1,600 different species
• 17,000m³: the total volume of water at Nausicaá
• 10,000m³: the volume of water in the biggest tank in Europe
• It takes 6 weeks to completely fill the big tank
• There are 2,000 births a year

Exclusive offer for Le Shuttle customers

Discounted entrance fee with LeShuttle

• 15% OFF entrance fee for adults and kids + Free audio guide

To redeem the offer, hand in your Le Shuttle ticket (travel hanger) at Nausicaá.

Offer terms and conditions

Offer terms and Conditions

Special offer valid until 31st December 2024

• 15% discount on the price of child or adult entrance tickets when customers show their Le Shuttle hanger.
• Audio guides free of charge, subject to availability.
• Discounted ticket prices and the audio guide offer are not valid for groups.
• This exclusive offer and the audio guide offer are provided by Nausicaa and can be withdrawn without notice at any time.
• Le Shuttle cannot be responsible for any claims and is not liable for any changes made to this offer.
• Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount including discounted entrance fee for seniors, students, disabled persons, job-seekers.
• Valid for one year from the travel date and once per booking reference number.
• For more information about Nausicaa please visit www.nausicaa.co.uk.

Book your trip to Nausicaá aquarium with LeShuttle

Coral jungles, tropical lagoons and touching moments with sharks: Nausicaá is a fantastic family day out, with plenty to ponder amid the wonder.

Getting to Nausicaá via LeShuttle is just a 35-minute crossing below the seas from Folkestone to Calais, and then a 45-minute hop by car from our terminal.

Open a LeShuttle account today to stay up-to-date with travel information, holiday inspiration and special offers.