ENVIRONMENT

   MAGICAL FAUNA OF THE CÉVENNES NATIONAL PARK

Located in France across two regions Occitanie and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and primarily spanning three departments Lozère, Gard and Ardèche, the Cévennes National Park is a welcoming destination that delights visitors with the beauty

and diversity of its magnificent landscapes and is also a wild, natural haven that birdwatching and wildlife enthusiasts never tire of exploring.

Established on September 2 1970 Cévennes National Park covers 93,500 hectares of mid-altitude mountains formed by four distinct geographical areas the Aigoual massif, the Causse Méjean with the Tarn and Jonte Gorges, as well as Mont Lozère and the Cévennes valleys and surrounding areas is also classified as a CATEGORY II protected area by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas , and has also been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1985. It is

home to radiant landscapes where magical, fairytale colors emerge at sunrise, alongside the wildlife and flora, the Park

boasts a wealth of natural spaces that are also home to abundant and diverse wildlife including more than 2400 animal

species, among them 195 bird species such as birds of prey including the golden eagle and griffon and bearded vultures

as well as birds that inhabit open habitats such as the vast meadows of the causses and its radiant mountains located in

the surrounding areas, which are fascinating to explore and observe by canoe, on foot, on horseback, or on mountain

bike rides along the Tarn or Jonte Gorges, or from the heights of its majestic peaks, the highest of which reaches 1699

meters at the summit of Finiels, the Park's highest point within the granite ridge of Mont Lozére and visitors can also

enjoy its marked and maintained trails, especially those designed for cyclists and hiking and birdwatching enthusiasts

with roads featuring numerous trails well suited to nearby leisure activities, with some observation posts thoughtfully integrated into the landscape and opportunities to meet local residents, members of the League for the Protection of Birds, and guides, while discovering the Park's history and culture.

The Wildlife Conservation

Exploring the Cévennes National Park is an unforgettable getaway as you'll discover numerous natural landscapes often shrouded in morning mists that blanket the foothills of its mountains like a cloud and its valleys reminiscent of an very

Impressionist painting, with a particularity that is pleasant to observe in these places, expressing all the diversity of our territories while integrating good ecotourism practices and the respect for the environment alongside the fact that the

Park benefits from a climate conducive to the development and the Wildlife preservation.A well-preserved area , ideally

suited for the many other animal species listed including 70 species of mammals, 16 species of amphibians, 26 species

of reptiles 23 species of fish for 2000 species of invertebrates including 1824 insects which are also delightful to fans of

photographs just like observe using a good pair of binoculars or a birdwatching telescope on its mountain ranges to see

some chamois and ibex as well as observing beavers some European hedgehogs or otters along the gentle banks of its shimmering rivers, and encountering lynxes and wolves in its forests and meadows adorned with magnificent valleys.

Hiking being one of the French's favorite local leisure activities, and whether on foot, by bike or canoe, discovering the

Cévennes National Park is a pure delight which allows you to discover places preserved in their original state , where unique spots where it's pleasant to stop, rest areas set up for the wildlife observation that delight young and old alike complemented by natural spaces and places incorporating all that nature has to offer at its finest , this type of hiking accessible to all and constantly growing in popularity, is also a fantastic asset for discovering the area from a different perspective radiant and sumptuous territories of France.

Report by: Gabriel Page

Photos credit: GABRIEL PAGE / Getty Images