Massif des Bauges regional nature park

Logo of the park

Location of the park

The Regional Natural Park of the Bauges ( fr. Parc naturel régional du Massif des Bauges ) is located in the French region of Auvergne Rhône-Alpes and extending into the departments of Haute-Savoie and Savoie .

The park is located roughly between the cities

Annecy in the north,
Albertville in the east,
Chambéry in the southwest and
Aix-les-Bains to the west.

Park management

View of Le Châtelard

The nature park was founded on December 7, 1995. The park currently covers an area of around 85,600 hectares. The park administration with the "Maison du Parc" is based in Le Châtelard ( 45 ° 41 ′ 11 ″ N , 6 ° 8 ′ 12 ″ E, coordinates: 45 ° 41 ′ 11 ″ N , 6 ° 8 ′ 12 ″ E ) . 63 municipalities (as of January 1, 2018) with a catchment area of around 70,400 inhabitants make up the park, further municipalities are associated with the nature park as "access points". 45.686388888889 6.1366666666667

The nature park is from since September 17, 2011 UNESCO under the brand name Geopark Bauges as a UNESCO Global Geopark excellent. This designation stands for the great geological importance of a territory and contributes to the tourist and economic development of the area, taking into account the required sustainability . The impressive karst forms and the elevated synclines in the Bauges massif were two geological trump cards for the candidacy.

Larger places in the park

In the Haute-Savoie department

In the Savoie department

View of Doussard
in the center of Faverges
Place Tallores, municipality of Saint-Jorioz, on Lake Annecy
Sévrier, Town Hall Square

View of Mercury
Old town of Montmélian
Miolans castle, parish of Saint-Pierre-d'Albigny

landscape

The nature park encompasses the entire limestone massif of the Bauges massif and extends down into the adjacent valleys and also has a share of Lac d'Annecy in the north . It forms an island of protected nature, where the villages, which mostly crouch between grassland and forests , are often surrounded by mountain peaks towering 2,000 meters . These mountains preserve remarkable flora and fauna of around 1300 species of plants, 150 species of breeding birds , 9 species of amphibians . A nature reserve in the center provides habitat for chamois , mouflons and black grouse . One of the peculiarities of the rural heritage, which reveals the way of life and its development, is based on its diversity: The massif is formed by many small areas that are rich in identity and have maintained an intensive cultural and economic exchange with one another for centuries .

This territory offers great opportunities for discovery: the nature park can be explored on foot, on horseback , with a donkey , by bike , on a paraglider , on skis or snowshoes . After the core zone of Bauges, the discovery of its valleys, bocage landscapes , vineyards on the lakes and the large Alpine valleys should not be missing. Residents offer products that make their pride: primarily the Tome de Bauges - cheese ( AOC ) without the apples , the pears , the honey , the aromatic and medicinal plants, the goat cheese and the white and red wines of To forget the erosion valleys of Savoy .

Higher mountain peaks

Pointe d'Arcalod (2217 m),
Mont Pécloz (2191 m),
Mont Trélod (2181 m),
Mont d'Arménaz (2158 m),
Pointe des Arces (2076 m),
Mont de la Coche (2065 m),
Pointe des Arlicots (2060 m),
Dent d'Arclusac (2041 m),
Montagne du Semnoz with the Crêt du Châtillon (1699 m),
Montagne du Charbon with the Lanche Close (1791 m).

Waters

Catchment area of Lake Annecy south of Annecy ,
Catchment area of the Arly , right tributaries between Ugine and Albertville ,
Catchment area of the Isère , right tributaries between Albertville and Montmélian ,
Lac du Bourget with inlets at Aix-les-Bains ,
Catchment area of the Chéran in the northeast.