Vanoise National Park

France's 1st national park, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, the Parc national de la Vanoise covers a large part of Haute Maurienne Vanoise. Take advantage of this haven of peace, far from pollution, and enjoy the calm, silence and pure air. Discover this remarkable, unspoilt environment accompanied by a park ranger or mountain leader, and learn more about the flora and fauna.

France's 1st national park

A National Park created in 1963

In the heart of the Vanoise National Park, you can easily come across marmots from April to September. You can also observe ibex, high-altitude lakes and the Vanoise glaciers... A natural resource to discover all year round, on foot, snowshoes or ski touring.

The Parc national de la Vanoise is a protected area, for the most part on the territory of Haute Maurienne Vanoise, founded in 1963 thanks in particular to Gilbert André, then mayor of Bonneval sur Arc. The central zone, known as the "heart", is a totally protected area with regulations that promote the biodiversity of landscapes, environments and species, and preserve the cultural and mountain heritage.

In just a few steps, you're in the heart of France's first National Park and one of Europe's largest unspoilt areas. The Vanoise National Park adjoins Italy's Gran Paradiso National Park. Together, they form one of the largest protected areas in the Western Alps. Ibex and chamois, for example, have been able to cross from one to the other with complete peace of mind for decades.

To make the most of it, discover the places, activities and service providers at Haute Maurienne Vanoise that have been awarded the "Esprit Parc" label.

Discover the official Vanoise National Park website

Richness and diversity of wildlife

Ibexes, chamois, marmots, eagles, bearded vultures...

The wealth of wildlife in the Vanoise National Park is undeniable. The Park is home to large ungulates as well as birds, insects and amphibians.

Herbivores (deer, roe deer, chamois and ibex...they're all present in the Vanoise), rodents (e.g. the mountain hare, which changes its livery with the seasons, the marmot, various voles including the snow vole, the collared field mouse), carnivores (the fox, badger, marten, weasel, ermine), bats (pipistrelle commune, oreillard septentrional) and insectivores like the aquatic shrew are widely present in the heart of the Parc national de la Vanoise. Some animals, such as marmots and ibexes, are easy to spot. Others require patience, a little luck and a good pair of binoculars.

Among the 125 bird species nesting in Vanoise are golden eagle, crossbill, nutcracker, Tengmalm's owl, black flycatcher, long-eared owl, rock blackbird, black grouse, black grouse, rock partridge, rock ptarmigan, black woodpecker, three-toed woodpecker and tichodromus.

You may be lucky enough to be flown over by the immense Bearded Vulture, one of Europe's largest birds. This bone-feeding vulture nests in the inaccessible cliffs around Val Cenis-Termignon and Bessans.

Visit the exhibition (free access) at "La Maison de la Vanoise", in Val Cenis-Termignon, to find out more about the lammergeyer and the Vanoise National Park as a whole.

Extraordinary flora

A third of France's flora can be found in Vanoise

The latest summary of France's flora, "Flora Gallica", published in 2014, lists around 5,000 species of vascular plants (ferns and allied plants, conifers and flowering plants) in mainland France. The Vanoise massif alone accounts for 1,700 species, i.e. a third of France's flora on less than 0.5% of the national territory!

This exceptional diversity is due to the variety of habitats present. On the border between the northern and southern Alps, Haute Maurienne Vanoise is home to alpine pastures, dry grasslands, wetlands and high-altitude areas. The different types of rock also provide habitat for a wide range of species.

Adopt the "Parc attitude

To enjoy the riches of the Vanoise National Park in peace, respect the environment and the Park's rules.

Come onfoot, without your dog (even on a leash), and leave your mountain bike and paraglider at home (although some routes in Aussois and Val Cenis are accessible to mountain bikes and bicycles).
Admirethe beauty of flowers without picking them - they won't grow back in your home.
Feedon tasty local produce, but don't feed the groundhogs!
Optimizeyour water and electricity consumption in refuges
Be inspired bynature and respect it
Followthe trails and don't cut the laces on the way down.
Takethe shuttles instead of your car

A walk or hike in the heart of the Vanoise National Park offers a superb experience of nature. Open up this extraordinary picture book with your children, arouse their curiosity and make them aware of the environment and respect for it... That's what a real mountain vacation is all about!

A privileged encounter with nature

The Vanoise National Park rangers, who have a wide variety of missions, will be holding meetings throughout the summer to introduce you to their job and help you discover the secrets of the environment that surrounds us.

And don't hesitate to get in touch with our mountain guides with the "Esprit Parc" label. As well as guiding you safely along snow-covered itineraries, they'll attract your attention, arouse your curiosity and inspire you to find out more about the mountain environment.

With them, you'll be able to meet the animals without disturbing the wildlife, learn more about the survival techniques of flora and fauna in winter, and see the effects of climate change by discovering high-altitude lakes that didn't exist just a few years ago...

Find out more about the summer and winter outings, walks and hikes offered by Haute Maurienne Vanoise guides and guides.

Activities and entertainment

proposed by the Vanoise National Park

Winter 2025

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