The Cévennes National Park
Can de l’Hospitalet © EICC
Ideally located between the Massif Central and the Mediterranean, the Cévennes National Park is a wonderful tourist destination for anyone wishing to get away from it all and discover a uniquely well-preserved natural environment.
Created on 2 September 1970, the Cévennes National Park is remarkable for its inhabited, cultivated core area. By earning the UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve certification in 1985, it confirmed its commitment to combining protection of nature with development.
The park covers the three departments of Ardèche, Gard and Lozère, where its administrative centre is located in the town of Florac. Its core area contains 55 municipalities with a surface area of 93,500 hectares.
A land of contrasts, its biodiversity is particularly impressive with 2,410 animal species, including 45% of all vertebrates and two-thirds of all mammals in France, including 20 species of bats. The territory is also home to endangered birds of prey: golden eagle, short-toed snake eagle, peregrine falcon, eagle owl… Griffon vultures, cinereous vultures and bearded vultures are also common there.
The flora is very diverse and attracts lovers of orchids, but also remarkable and endemic plants that are found especially in the peat bogs of Mont-Lozère and Aigoual or on the vast steppes of the Causses.
When you choose to stay in this park, you’re choosing high-quality tourism, since the Cévennes has been a tourist destination since the late 19th century and remains a pioneer in the field of sustainable tourism.
Adonis du Printemps © EICC
In order to combine tourism and protection of nature, the park has signed the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, an institution encompassing 500 European parks.
In addition, the Cévennes Ecotourisme association manages a network of accommodation providers, restaurant owners, hiking guides and visitor attraction managers.
In collaboration with the park, it offers training in the areas of service quality, respect for the environment, and knowledge of natural and built heritage, so that members may in turn share their passion for the Cévennes with visitors.
To find out more about the Park: www.cevennes-parcnational.fr
