Discover the rich and preserved wilderness of the Park through sustainable tourism
Green tourism in the Cevennes National Park is founded on core values of sustainability. Here, you will discover both natural treasures as well as local cultural heritage and traditions, you will meet the men and the women who live and work in accordance with the Park’s values, and with your visit, you will support the sustainable local economy so that the Park can continue to uphold the delicate balance between human activity and the biosphere reserve.
The vast, diverse, and unique Cevennes
The Cevennes National Park is composed of a 1 000 km² natural preserve, a protected and regulated, yet populated space, and a 2 000 km² area of adhesion, made up of communes that adhere to the charter of the Park. About 11 000 different species of plants and 2 410 species of animals dwell and prosper in the reserve. With more than 150 protected sites and monuments, the rich historical and vernacular heritage of the territory is just as remarkable as its natural diversity.
Eager to discover more? The Cevennes National Park is home to 5 000 km of marked trails along which you can hike, bike or horseback ride. Every summer, the public can attend free events organized by the Park, so as to learn more about the biosphere reserve and the work of its agents. You can find more information on the protected nature reserve of the Cevennes in the Cevennes Park Information Houses or in local Tourist information offices.
For 50 years now, the Cevennes National Park has been applying strict measures to protect the local biosphere and the region’s rich local heritage. Here, human activity has worked in symbiosis with nature for centuries. The Park promotes sustainability, and sustainable, high-quality, green tourism plays a large role in the development of the area.
The Cevennes National Park is the only French park to have a year-round population residing in its natural preserve.
Did you know?
The Cevennes – a fragile biosphere
The Cevennes National Park welcomes visitors to discover its magnificent landscapes as well as its remarkable flora and fauna, but its treasures must be protected by all and the Park’s rules must be respected.
The Park’s rules and regulations are illustrated by pictograms, the same as in all French national parks. You will find them at the entrances to the natural preserve, in the Cevennes Park Information Houses, and on information panels near hiking trails. These rules are set in place in order to protect the local wild life as well as for the future development of the area.
The remarkable biodiversity of the Cevennes
Ever since the Cevennes National Park’s creation, in 1970, the Park has continuously contributed to scientific research. Here, you will find an incredibly rich biodiversity, intrinsically linked to human activity, as well as to the remarkable climatic and geological variations over the Park’s territory.
Interested to learn more? Discover the Cevennes National Park’s biodiversity map that presents the results of scientific inventories and observations in an easy to read manner. Keep in mind that this is not a complete inventory of all the species present on the Park’s territory, but anyone can contribute to the map! The Park’s agents regularly organize free events, open to the public, in order to inventory the local biodiversity.
One label for local economy actors
A label inspired by nature…
The Esprit parc national label was created in order to promote the work of men and women who adhere to the Park’s efforts to preserve the unique biosphere of the Cevennes. The label is based on the core values of the Park: authenticity, respect, solidarity, as well as commitment to sustainable development.