In the event that you are going to France and simply examining cheeses and tasting wines, then you are passing up the genuine fortune of the country. France is past workmanship and design, castles, and theaters. Now is the ideal time to meander into the wild of these tip-top and dreamlike national parks in France. Spot the Ibex and the Pyrenean earthy-colored bear, trip to the levels of elevated mountain pinnacles, and swim into reviving streams while you’re here. The woody paths of France are calling you!
Suggested read: 10 Picturesque Beaches In France For An Ultimate Beach Vacay!
The National Parks In France For Nature Lovers
Here are the ten best national parks situated in France and a couple of miles away. Take your pick and knapsack now!
1. Port-Cros National Park
This is the main Mediterranean marine park in France. It is laid out on the island of Port-Cros toward the east of Toulon. To arrive one can take the ship which has normal help from Saint-Pierre Marina. The Port-Cros offers two pleasant paths, the herbal and the submerged path. Here one can explore the lovely scenes, the sandy sea shores, the rich woods, wrecks, and the memorable legacy of the Roman remains. One of the recognizable strongholds that draw tourists here is the Moulin Fort. Another attraction is swimming which one can appreciate along the La Palud submarine path.
Best Time: May to August
Distance from Hyères: 22.2 km
How to Reach:
Closest Airport – Toulon-Hyères Airport
By Ferry – Transport Littoral Varois runs ships from Hyères to Port-Cros
Timings: Open 24 hours
Also read: 15 Most Beautiful Places To Visit In France For A Perfect Vacay!
2. Vanoise National Park
Situated between the valleys of Tarentaise and Maurienne, Vanoise is the main French national park. It is additionally quite possibly of the most famous national park in France. It was made out of worry towards the vanishing Ibex whose number boiled down to 40 of every 1963 except has now been reestablished to more than 2000.
The park stretches out to the Italian side of the line where it is known as the Gran Paradiso National Park. The presence of Vanoise Massif makes it a heaven for climbers as well concerning directed strolls. One can likewise appreciate mountain trekking and paragliding here.
Best Time to Explore: Year-round
Distance from Geneva: 172 km
Instructions to Reach:
Closest Air Terminal – Lyon Saint-Exupéry and Geneva
By Rail Route – Geneva rail route station to Chambery-Challes-E
By Road – Cabs on recruit
Timings: Open 24 hours
3. Pyrénées National Park
The Pyrénées National Park is along the line of France and Spain, reaching out toward the south-west of Hautes-Pyrénées and toward the south-east of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Other than sights of recognized verdure, this national park offers exercises like climbing, skiing, and hiking attributable to its rocky scene.
There are interminable picturesque strolling, climbing, and cycling trails, out of Cirque de Troumouse is the most astonishing cycling climb. One more attraction of the Pyrénées is the little train that moves from the pinnacle of La Sagette to Artouste Lake. Also, assuming you are fortunate you could try and recognize the Pyrenean earthy-colored bear!
Best Time: Year-round
Distance from Pau: 48km
Instructions to Reach:
Closest Airport – Pau Pyrénées Airport
Closest Rail Station – The Lourdes train station and the Toulouse train station
By Road – Bla Car
Timings: Monday-Friday 9 AM – 5 PM (Saturday-Sunday shut)
4. Écrins National Park
This second biggest national park in France is a site of journeys, inviting tourists and welcoming instructive drives. Situated in south-eastern France, it was made in 1973 because of the endeavors of mountain dwellers, naturalists, and backwoods laborers. The distance of the park makes it a quiet and peaceful district. The asylum is enhanced with the rough hilly territory, sublime icy masses, elevated tops like La Meije, grand valleys, snow-capped pastures, and thick forests making it perhaps the best national park in France.
It is a visit of explorers, rock climbers, mountain bikers, and waterway sprinters in the summers, and during the winters, the well-known exercises it offers are snowshoeing, hovel to-cottage ski touring, and mountaineering.
Best Time to Explore: June – September
Distance from Marseille: 190 km
Instructions to Reach:
Closest Airport – Marseille Airport
Closest Railway Station – L’Argentière-les-Ecrins
By Road – Ligness Express and Ouibus
Timings:
From first September to 30th June: 9 AM – 4 PM ( Closed on ends of the week and Wednesdays)
From first July to 31st August: 10 AM – 6 PM
Related read: 5 Breathtaking Places For Skydiving in France
5. Cévennes National Park
Need to climb along a similar path as Robert Louis Stevenson in ‘Goes with a Donkey’? That most certainly is the most popular climb in Cévennes, a UNESCO World Heritage site in southern France. The Cévennes National Park is a climber’s paradise with around 5000 km of stamped trails. For experienced searchers, the park offers exercises like paddling, kayaking, climbing, bows and arrows, and fishing, while in winters one can appreciate snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and sledding.
Close to the picturesque excellence that this park offers, there are terrific stone arrangements at the Chaos de Nimes-le-Vieux. On the way, one can likewise visit the humble towns of La-Garde-Guerin and Le Pont-de-Montvert. The woods are canvassed in oaks, chestnuts, beeches, Scots pines, and birches. Birdwatchers can as a rule spot brilliant hawks, peregrine hawks, hen harriers, Montague’s harriers, and falcon owls in the park
Best Time to Visit: June-September
Distance from Montpellier: 165 km
How to Reach:
Closest Airport – Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport
By Road – Bus from Montpellier station to Le Rey Camping
Timings: Open 24 hours
6. Guiana Amazonian Park
Do you realize France’s greatest national park is in South America? Situated in French Guiana, an abroad branch of France on the upper east bank of South America, it imparts its line to the Brazilian Tumucumaque National Park and together they structure the world’s greatest rainforest-safeguarded region. One can arrive at this place where there are elevated kapok trees by flight or pirogue.
One more attraction here is the Mont Galbao which ascends to 700m in level. A sight to be not missed is the fountains of the Gobaya Soula. Other than this, there are protected signposted trails for climbers.
Best Time: August – December
How to Reach:
Closest Airport – Saül Airport
By Ferry – crossing from Suriname at St Laurent du Maroni
Timings: Monday – Friday 7:30 AM – 5 PM (Weekends shut)
7. Mercantour National Park
Mercantour National Park, with its pool of biodiversity, is a shelter for any nature darling. The park parades the uncommon Edelweiss sprouting in the spring and the Martagon Lily in the midst of the Mediterranean olive trees, firs, tidies, Swiss pines, and larches. Mercantour is home to a type of around 50 Italian wolves.
While one can without much of a stretch spot a chamois or two, just the fortunate ones will actually want to get looks at the ibex, ermine, and mouflon. Other than climbing and trekking in the thickly forested valleys, one can appreciate boating and kayaking in the Ubaye stream. Other water sports to appreciate here are canyoning, windsurfing, and cruising. Try not to pass up paragliding that will provide you with a 360° perspective of the park!
Best Time to Explore: Year-round
Distance from Nice: 55.2 km
How to Reach:
Closest Airport – Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport
Nearest Railway Station – Roya Valley is available from Nice via train
By Road – Daily transports from Nice to Mercantour are accessible
Must read: 5 Ski Resorts In France To Fall In Love With Snow
8. Guadeloupe National Park
The Guadeloupe National Park is a conspicuous piece of the France national parks map. It’s a marine safeguarded region situated in the Leeward Islands of the eastern Caribbean district. The park has a few pretty attractions like La Grande Soufrière, a functioning stratovolcano, and the flowing cascades of the Carbet.
A shelter for all climbing darlings can continue investigating the unblemished open country. One more attraction here is the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve which is home to some astounding seaside fauna and is bountiful in exotic fish.
Best Time to visit: December – May
Distance from Pointe-à-Pitre: 22.4 km
How to Reach:
Closest Airport – Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport
By Road – Rental Cars
Timings: Monday – Friday: 8 AM – 4 PM (ends of the week shut)
Since you have a total explorer’s manual for the national parks in France, rucksack as of now! There is an invigorating mother lode lying out there, only hanging tight for you to find it! Enjoy exciting experiences, go birdwatching, spot the most extraordinary of natural life, eat with local people in humble towns, and inhale the perfect, fresh quality of France. Tempted at this point? Book your trip to France immediately!