Est. 1963

Goals & Objectives:
Vanoise National Park was created to protect the Alpine Ibex. Protection was subsequently extended to other animal and plant species, the current focus being the Bearded Vulture.

Statistical Profile: 
400km of marked trails
40 refuges in the heart of the park
5 nature reserves adjacent to the National Park
224 protected species

Successes:
From around 60 ibexes at the Park's inception, there are now more than 2,000. The first breeding pair of Bearded Vultures were introduced in 1998 - there are currently 9 breeding pairs in Savoie, and this year 7 new young will have flown the nest: a new record!   

Learn more about Vanoise National Park's initiatives and projects on their website.

How can we describe the Vanoise National Park? 
The park is located in the east of the Savoie department, on the Vanoise massif, which links the two valleys of Maurienne and Tarentaise, close to the Italian border. Thanks to their shared 14 km border, together with Italian Gran Paradiso National Park, Vanoise National Park forms one of the largest protected areas in Western Europe, covering 1,250km². At its heart, 53,500ha are under special protection by specific regulations laid down by decree in the Council of State.
With 33 natural habitats (31 of which are of local community concern), more than 2,500 plant species (around a hundred of which are protected at national level), and 325 vertebrate species representing 65% of vertebrates found in mainland France (92% of which are protected species), the Vanoise National Park is a vast reservoir of biodiversity.

What do you gain from being an ALPARC member?
ALPARC is particularly useful for sharing experiences across borders and having an impact on a wider scale. For example, we have successfully collaborated with them for their public conscientisation intiiative: Be Part of the Mountain.