Natural parks

During your trip on the Route des Grandes Alpes®, you will pass through or alongside 3 national parks (Vanoise, Écrins, Mercantour), 2 regional nature parks (Bauges, Queyras) and 2 geoparks (Chablais and Bauges).

A national park is an exceptional territory, recognized as such at international level. Its mode of governance and management is entirely focused on preserving its natural riches. In France, there are 11 national parks. Three are in the Alps and concern Route des Grandes Alpes®: Parc national de la Vanoise, Parc national des Écrins and Parc national du Mercantour.

A regional nature park (PNR) is a territory that has voluntarily chosen a mode of development based on the enhancement and protection of natural and cultural heritages considered rich and fragile.

A geopark is a unified geographical area whose sites and landscapes are of geological interest of international importance. UNESCO-labeled geoparks aim to explore, develop and celebrate the links between a territory's geological heritage and its natural, cultural and intangible heritage.

A geopark is a unified geographical area whose sites and landscapes are of geological interest of international importance.