France’s most beautiful national and nature parks

The “national park” designation is recognised throughout the world as the highest level of quality and protection for outstanding natural areas”.

As we all know, we are extremely lucky to live in a magnificent country, combining exceptional natural beauty with historic towns with an immense heritage.

The current trend is for us to slow down our frenetic pace and travel less far, more responsibly, while favouring soft modes of transport such as the train or bicycle.

Luckily, we have everything we need at home! So let’s go to Canada, Australia, Argentina, Senegal and Ireland, without leaving our borders…

The adage “You don’t have to go far to be somewhere else…” has never been truer!

Here’s a list of the most beautiful nature parks in France!

1 La Vanoise // as beautiful as Banff in Canada

As a good Savoyard, I can’t fail to put La Vanoise at the top of this list! Not only is it France’s very first national park (declared as such in 63 to protect the ibex – and everyone loves an ibex, so you’ll be delighted to know that it now has the largest population of ibex in France!

It stretches across the Maurienne and Tarentaise valleys, revealing countless hiking trails up mountains and glaciers peaking at over 3800 metres!

Things to do :

• Eat a blueberry tart at the refuge
• Admire the view from the summit of Petit Mont Blanc
• Choose the most beautiful hike around 107 lakes
• Do a tour of the Vanoise glaciers
• See it all from above by paragliding
• Watch marmots at their best in summer
• Discover wild flowers (without picking them!)
• Looking for the Dahu!
• Stop off to buy some Beaufort cheese at the local dairy.
• I don’t need to tell you that the winter version goes with skiing-snowshoeing-raclette and all that!

2. The Verdon // as green as Semuc Champey- Guatemala

There’s no denying it, the Verdon is a blast. It’s got everyone in agreement, with its splendid views and turquoise canyon! But not just any turquoise! The waters of Le Verdon could make the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean green with envy!

And all this in the Var hinterland, just a few hours from Nice, Toulon or Marseille! There’s no need to fly 10 hours to Guatemala (although I strongly recommend it!).

<img class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-16358″ title=” src=”https://navaway.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2.jpg” alt=”verdon-semuc-champey” width=”1280″ height=”800″ /></p>
<p><strong>To do:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Canoeing</li>
<li>Rafting</li>
<li>Climbing</li>
<li>Hiking</li>
<Bathing</li>
<li>Visit the small canon villages all around</li>
</ul>
<h3>3. Mercantour National Park // as shimmering as Matheson Lake – NZ</h3>
<p>They’re lucky those who live next to the Mercantour. They’re in a great location! They have a magnificent national park full of mountains, lakes and forest, and at the same time they’re right next to Italy, not far from Spain, and less than an hour from the beach! Why choose when you can have sea and mountains!</p>
<p><img class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-16359″ title=”lac allos – matheson lake” src=”https://navaway.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/3.jpg” alt=”lac allos – matheson lake” width=”1280″ height=”800″ /></p>
<p><strong>To do:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Hiking</li>
<li>Bathing</li>
<li>Photography</li>
<li>Canyoning</li>
<Rafting</li>
<Mountain biking</li>
<Climbing</li>
<li>Skiing and snowshoeing in winter</li>
</ul>
<h3>4. Cévennes National Park // as bewitching as the Carpathians</h3>
<p>Lovers of nature and starry skies, this is the park for you! The Cévennes, located in the south of the Massif Central, stretch across the departments of Lozère, Gard and Ardèche. Its nights are renowned for offering some of the purest skies in France and promise unforgettable nights under the stars!</p>
<p>It is the only mid-mountain national park and has been classified as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO since 1985. It’s home to some of the greatest biodiversity in France, and if you’re discreet, you’ll come across plenty of wild animals here!</p> <p>It’s a great place to spend a night under the stars!
<p><img class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-16360″ title=”cevennes-carpates” src=”https://navaway.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/4.jpg” alt=”cevennes-carpates” width=”1280″ height=”800″ /></p>
<p><strong>To do:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Via Ferrata</li>
<li>Horse riding</li>
<li>Hiking with donkeys</li>
<li>Caving</li>
<li>Rando & Bivouac</li>
<li>Star gazing</li>
<li>Canoeing on the Tarn</li>
<li>Fauna and flora observation</li>
</ul>
<h3>5. Ecrins National Park // as imposing as the Himalayas</h3>
<p>There’s no denying it, mountains are impressive. Their imposing silhouettes fascinate and attract climbers as well as dreamers and photographers.</p>
<p>With over 100 peaks topping out at over 3000 metres and its famous Barre des Écrins tickling the sky at 4102 metres, this national park is considered THE high mountain park in Europe! <br />A paradise for climbers and hikers alike, the Écrins is pretty much The Place to Be!</p>
<p><img class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-16361″ title=”les écrins-gokyo ri himalaya” src=”https://navaway.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/5.jpg” alt=”les écrins-gokyo ri himalaya” width=”1280″ height=”800″ /></p>
<p><strong>To do:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Cycling over the cols like the Tour de France</li>
<li>Hiking</li>
<li>Climbing</li>
<li>Via Ferrata</li>
<li>Moutain bike</li>
<li>Paragliding</li>
<li>Freeriding on the most beautiful off-piste in France at La Grave</li>
</ul>
<h3>6. Camargue Regional Nature Park //as photogenic as Senegal’s pink lake</h3>
<p>The Camargue! (With the accent please), gives us a rich wetland, made up of salt marshes populated by pink flamingos, marshes, ponds and rice fields. All bordering the Mediterranean Sea and its miles of beaches.</p> <p>A land of traditions, ponds and rice fields.
<p>A land of tradition, the image of the Camargue is inextricably linked with its wild horses and bull farms. The region is also one of the main migration points for birds who come here to spend the winter, like some of our elders who head down south as early as November (and they’re right to do so!). So it’s a great place to watch grey cranes, wild geese, swans and more. </p>
<p><img class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-16362″ title=” src=”https://navaway.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/6.jpg” alt=”camargue-lac retba senegal” width=”1280″ height=”800″ />

Things to do :

• Visit the salt marshes
• Cycling (it’s flat!)
• Discover sand wine
• Birdwatching
• Visit Aigues-Mortes because it’s so cute!
• Go to the beach
• Go horse riding with your hair blowing in the wind on the beach (at sunset)
• And, above all, don’t forget your super-strong mosquito repellent, like the kind you keep for a jungle expedition in Thailand!

7. Parc National des Calanques // as heavenly as the Balearics

The Parc National des Calanques is the pride and joy of the people of Marseilles and a delight for tourists who love walking, discovering incredible coves and taking the plunge in summer (but don’t get too cold, the water in the calanques is not renowned for being warm!)

It’s the only park in Europe to combine land, sea and suburbs! These landscapes of limestone cliffs plunging into turquoise waters, set against a backdrop of pine forests, paint a striking picture of the wild beauty of southern France!

There are 26 calanques to discover on foot, by kayak, by boat or by diving!

Things to do :

• Kayak
• Diving
• Hiking
• Swimming
• Visit Marseille (after all!)

8. Pyrenees National Park // as surprising as Slovenia!

A true natural frontier between France and Spain, the Pyrenees National Park spreads its beauty over 100 km, 6 valleys and 2 departments: the Hautes-Pyrénées and the Pyrénées Atlantiques. It was the third French national park to be created, on 23 March 1967. Today there are 11!

The “Pyrénées Mont perdu, cirque et canyons” site is even on UNESCO’s World Heritage list as a natural and cultural heritage site (for the extremely rich history of the mountain’s pastoral communities).

Things to do :

• Hiking (we can’t stress this enough!)
• Fly fishing
• Bear hunting (figuratively speaking, of course, and only armed with your camera!)
• Climbing
• MOUNTAIN BIKING
• Paragliding
• And of course, skiing and snowshoeing in winter!

9. Parc Naturel Régional d’Armorique // as wild as Ireland

Let’s head for Brittany with the magnificent Parc Naturel Régional d’Armorique!

A land of contrasts, Finistère, where the land ends, offers you the chance to breathe in the sea air and melt into its blue horizon. The Armorique Park, home to our indomitable ancestors, covers the islands of the Iroise Sea, the Crozon peninsula, the Brest roadstead and the Aulne estuary, as well as the Monts d’Arrée. So there’s something for everyone!

A multitude of possibilities and a fabulous playground for the adventurer in you!

Things to do :

• Swimming
• Cycling (once again, it’s flat!)
• Hiking
• Boat trips
• Sea fishing
• Observation of marine life
• And don’t leave without a butter cure, from traditional Breton galettes to kouign amann!

10. Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne // as mystical as Scotland

France’s first regional nature park, the Parc des Volcans d’Auvergne is a fascinating and magical place. Covered by the Massif Central, reminiscent of a mountain range formed more than 300 million years ago, the park covers 5 natural regions, 5 volcanic massifs. The Cantal Stratovolcano is the highest volcano in Europe!

The iconic image of the park, the Chaine des Puys is a group of 80 extinct volcanoes stretching over 45 km. The volcanoes first erupted 95,000 years ago, and the last ones over 8,600 years ago.

The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Things to do :

• Watch the sunset from the summit of Puy de Dôme
• Walk on the crests of the Sancy
• Discover the fascinating world of volcanoes at Parc Vulcania
• Take a tour of Lac de Guéry
• Swimming at Lake Chambon
• Visit medieval castles
• Take a spa treatment

11. Vercors Regional Nature Park // as imposing as the Dragensberg (South Africa)

Straddling the Drôme and Isère departments, the Vercors Regional Nature Park plunges you into a fairytale setting of limestone cliffs, ridges and magnificent gorges through which translucent rivers flow.

These diverse landscapes make it one of the most beautiful parks to visit in France today!

But it’s also a place steeped in history and tradition! The Vercors is a hotbed of the French Resistance and today pays tribute to its maquisards!

Things to do :

• Hiking (accompanied by a donkey if you fancy!)
• Caving
• Visit caves (Grotte de la Luire, de Thaïs, de Chorange)
• Canyoning
• MOUNTAIN BIKING
• Climbing / Via Ferrata
• Paragliding
• Skiing and snowshoeing in winter

12. Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park // as autumnal as Quebec!

The Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park covers the Grand Est region and Burgundy Franche-Comté. Including a number of major towns such as Belfort, Mulhouse and Colmar, it is the most densely populated park in France, but it is also one of the largest, covering over 3,000 km². But don’t panic, its wide open spaces are teeming with natural wonders and magnificent wildlife. Lynx, roe deer, chamois and even grey wolves inhabit this massif.

14 peaks tower above these forests of oak, beech and fir, dotted with large lakes and rivers. Quebec has everything to be proud of – we even have cranberries! (We even have cranberries!)

Things to do :

• Hiking (7,000 km of marked trails)
• MOUNTAIN BIKING
• Swimming in summer
• Fishing
• Animal watching
• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter

13. Port-Cros National Park // as crystalline as Dalmatia (Croatia)

Make way for the sea and the underwater world in Port-Cros National Park, Europe’s first land and sea park!

Translucent turquoise waters that would make any Pacific beach pale, steep cliffs criss-crossed by hiking trails, hidden coves and magnificent beaches await you on the islands of Porquerolles and Port-Cros in the heart of the eponymous national park. The island of Bagaud and the Îlot de la Gabinière are nature reserves and are off-limits to visitors.

This unspoilt wilderness is home to a fabulous, protected marine world and numerous species of bird.

Things to do :

• Hiking
• Diving and snorkelling
• Swimming
• Birdwatching
• Visit the many military forts

14. Lubéron Regional Nature Park // as colourful as Canoa Quebrada!

The Lubéron Regional Nature Park stretches between the Alpes de Haute-Provence and the Vaucluse. To preserve its exceptional flora, the Lubéron is now a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The icing on the cake is to go hiking in the Colorado Provençal or the Ochres de Rustrel.

These sites immediately arouse our curiosity, and our minds start to wander to the American West amid the canyons, or to northern Argentina and its multicoloured mountains. For me, it reminds me of the little village of Canoa Quebrada in northern Brazil!

The ochre contrasts with the green of the vegetation and the blue of the sky make for an explosive palette and unforgettable photos!

Don’t hesitate to explore this natural park, which is crossed by the GR6, and admire its incredible fairy chimneys!

Things to do :

• Hiking (on foot only! It is forbidden to enter the park in any other way! So no cycling or horse-riding).
• Photography
• Visit typical Provençal villages
• Geology lessons
• Make your friends think you’ve gone to the end of the world

15. Parc Naturel Régional des Landes de Gascogne // as beautiful as the Witesundays (ok, almost)

We couldn’t forget the Landes! This magnificent region bordering the Atlantic Ocean! This vast regional park, covering over 3,000 km², has gone straight into the top 5 of France’s biggest parks!

It was created in 1970 to protect its gigantic pignada (pine forest) and the splendid Arcachon basin.

Things to do:

• Climb to the top of the Dune du Pilat to see it from the outside (and from above)
• Canoeing on the River Leyre
• Birdwatching in the Le Teich ornithological reserve
• Walk around the lagoons
• Getting lost in the vastness of the forest

In conclusion,

You have to admit that we’re incredibly lucky to have a rather small country, but one that contains a whole range of samples of the most beautiful things on earth.

So hashtag “Travelling in France” for ever! Do yourself a favour and take a trip around the world without crossing any borders!