Port-Cros National Park ( French : Parc national de Port-Cros ) is a French national park established on the Mediterranean island of Port-Cros , east of Toulon . It also administers natural areas in some surrounding locales.
6-512: The park was founded in 1963 after the island of Port-Cros was bequeathed to the state; it became France's second national park after Vanoise National Park . The state is the sole land owner on the island, which is a natural protected area. The park's boundaries were extended in 2012 to encompass most of Porquerolles . Port-Cros National Park is the first national park in Europe that unites terrestrial and maritime protection zones. The protected area
12-485: Is about 1,700 hectares of land and 2,900 hectares of sea at a 600 metre (656 yard) zone from the coast. Most of the area of the main islands of Port-Cros and Porquerolles are protected, as well as the small islands of Bagaud, Gabinière and Rascas. Until 2012, about 1,000 hectares of land on the island of Porquerolles had since 1971 been under the national park's administration (Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porquerolles). There are strict behaviour rules for
18-472: The snow line from late fall to early spring to enjoy the grass not covered by the ice and snow. Alpine marmot , wolf , Eurasian lynx , mountain hare , Eurasian badger , ermine and weasel are the other mammals commonly present in Vanoise. There are more than 100 bird species in the protected area. Birds of prey include bearded vulture , golden eagle and Eurasian eagle-owl . Other birds found in
24-515: The Italian side of the border, the park is continued by Gran Paradiso National Park . Together, these two parks cover over 1250 km , making the area the largest alpine national park. The park is well known for its population of Alpine ibex ( Capra ibex ), bouquetin in French, which is its emblem. The alpine chamois , like the ibex, spend most of the year above the tree line . They descend
30-572: The few inhabitants as well as daily tourists there. Sea bathing is only permitted on three beaches and smoking or taking dogs can result in an extensive fine. Vanoise National Park Vanoise National Park ( French : Parc national de la Vanoise ) is a French national park between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys in the French Alps , containing the Vanoise massif . It
36-479: Was created in 1963 as the first national park in France. Vanoise National Park is in the département of Savoie . Small villages like Champagny-le-Haut, Termignon , La Chiserette, Bramans , Sollières-Sardières , Friburge , Pralognan-la-Vanoise and Séez , lie near the park. The park is bordered by several large French ski resorts ( Les Trois Vallées , Tignes , Val-d'Isère , Les Arcs , La Plagne ). On
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