10 Best National Parks in France – Adventure, Thrill and Nature!

France is a beautiful destination to visit and have an amazing holiday. With abundant biodiversity, historic ruins, great landscapes, scrumptious food and enormous national parks, you can have it all here! To make it easier for you, here are the 10 best national parks in France, where you can have adventure and thrill by exploring the astonishing range of floras and faunas. So let’s get started!

10 best national parks in France –

1. Pyrénées National Park
2. Port-Cros National Park
3. Calanques National Park
4. Vanoise National Park
5. Mercantour National Park
6. Écrins National Park
7. Cévennes National Park
8. Guadeloupe National Park
9. Réunion National Park
10. Guiana Amazonian Park

1. Pyrénées National Park

Pyrénées National Park offers mountain peaks rising 3000 meters, beautiful panoramic views, ravishing waterfalls, lakes, a huge range of flora and fauna including lynxes, genets and the last brown bears and more. This wonderful national park is located at the border of France and Spain. Also, it was established in 1967 and now is one of the oldest national parks. Enjoy hiking, fishing, discovering flora and fauna and clicking pictures.

• Location – Pyrenees, ‎France
• Timings – Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Also read – 10 Best Day trips From Marseille, France – Why rest?

2. Port-Cros National Park

This is only the Mediterranean marine park in France. It is located on the island of Port-Cros to the east of Toulon. It is a delightful treat for adventure seekers providing two picturesque trails. One is the botanical trail and the second is an underwater trail, beautiful landscapes, beaches, forests, shipwrecks, snorkelling and the historic heritage of the Roman ruins. The Moulin Fort attracts a lot of tourists.

• Location – Port-Cros, ‎Var
• Timings – 24 hours

3. Calanques National Park

Calanques National Park is the only national park in Europe that includes land, sea and peri-urban areas, also with a huge range of incredible biodiversity with nearly 140 protected terrestrial animal, plant species and marine heritage species. People can also get involved in activities like swimming, hiking, climbing, scuba diving, kayaking and paddleboarding.

• Location – Bouches-du-Rhône, ‎France

Also read – Know the Best Time to Visit France – Bon voyage les amis!

4. Vanoise National Park

It is located between the valleys of Tarentaise and Maurienne. Also, this park is divided into two parts: a central area, for ramblers and skiers only, and an outlying area with the prestigious ski resorts of the Tarentaise area. This park extends on the Italian border where it is called the Gran Paradiso National Park. So, here you can enjoy mountain biking, hiking and paragliding.

• Location – Savoie, ‎France
• Timings – 24 hours

5. Mercantour National Park

A perfect place for thrill-seekers and nature lovers; and if lucky enough you can even catch a glimpse of ibex, ermine and mouflon. You can take part in activities like hiking and biking in the densely forested valleys, rafting and kayaking, canyoning, windsurfing and sailing; and also do not forget to experience paragliding which gives you an amazing view of Mercantour National Park. This is one of the best national parks in France.

• Location – Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France

Also read- 10 Most Romantic Places For Honeymoon In France!

6. Écrins National Park

Écrins National Park is located in south-eastern France and was established in 1973. It is the second-largest park in France and has an abundance of biodiversity. This national park provides mountainous terrain, huge glaciers, high peaks like La Meije, scenic valleys and dense woodlands. So, people can enjoy and take part in activities like hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking and river activities in the summers; and in winters, snowshoeing, ski touring and mountaineering.

• Location – Isère and ‎Hautes-Alpes‎, ‎France
• Timings – 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (closed on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday)

7. Cévennes National Park

It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, located in southern France. It is a perfect place for all hiking lovers as it has around 5000 km of marked trails. Also, there are more activities like canoeing, climbing, kayaking, fishing and archery; and in winters, snowshoeing, skiing and sledging. The park has an amazing range of flora including oaks, chestnuts, beeches, Scots pines and birches and rare fauna including golden eagles, peregrine falcons, and so on.  

• Location – Lozere, Gard, Ardeche and Aveyron, France
• Timings – 24 hours

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8. Guadeloupe National Park

This national park is located in the Leeward Islands of the eastern Caribbean region. Guadeloupe National Park covers nearly 22,000 hectares. You can explore the pristine countryside while hiking here or visit and explore Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve, home to amazing coastal fauna and abundant tropical fishes. People also visit La Grande Soufrière, an active stratovolcano and the ravishing waterfalls of the Carbet. So, you can spend a good time here with your family or friends.

• Location – Basse-Terre Island, Guadeloupe, France
• Timings – Monday to Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (closed on Saturday and Sunday)

9. Réunion National Park

A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010, and was established in 2007. Located on the island of Réunion, Réunion National Park is mainly known for its world’s two famous volcanic mountains – the Piton des Neiges (extinct) and the Piton de la Fournaise (one of the most active). If lucky enough you can catch the glimpse of Mascarene Petrel, the Marsh Harrier, the Réunion Cuckooshrike and Barau’s Petrel. Additionally, you can hike on the pretty trails and enjoy their natural beauty.

• Location – Réunion, ‎France‎
• Timings – Monday to Saturday 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (closed on Sundays)

Also read – 8 Top Things to Do in Provence, France: Land of Lavender Fields

10. Guiana Amazonian Park

Guiana Amazonian Park shares its border with the Brazilian Tumucumaque National Park and together they are known as the world’s biggest rainforest protected area. It is located in French Guiana, where you can reach by flight or pirogue. Mont Galbao rises up to 700 metres in height. Moreover, the cascades of the Gobaya Soula are famous attractions here and people visit them the most. This place is closed on weekends so plan accordingly.

• Location – French Guiana
• Timings – Monday to Friday 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Weekends closed)

Explore nature and have some adventure in life! Hoping, you have now chosen which national park to visit in France from the 10 nationals parks in France. Feel the power of nature! You can also check Pickyourtrail for some amazing France Tour Packages or France honeymoon packages in great deals, or you can customise your France itinerary with your own choices and preferences. Not to worry as travelling now is just a click away!