Protected Areas and National Parks Near Gran Paradiso National Park in the Graian Alps

Vanoise National Park: Explore France's Original National Park in the Savoie Alps

Mapped Alpine geography, glacial terrain, and protected landscape.

Vanoise National Park is France's pioneering national park, a protected landscape of immense alpine beauty situated in the Savoie department. Renowned for its dramatic glacial terrain, over 100 peaks above 3,000 meters, and the iconic Alpine ibex, this park offers a profound geographic context. Explore its mapped boundaries and discover the unique atlas-level insights into France's mountainous protected areas and their ecological significance.

Area

534 km²

Established

1963

IUCN

II

Relief

Mountain

Riserva naturale dei Monti Pelati: A Protected Nature Reserve in Northern Italy

Geological landscape context and peridotite terrain in Piemonte.

Riserva naturale dei Monti Pelati is a vital protected area in Italy known for its unusual peridotite bedrock. This ridge provides a stark contrast to the nearby Ivrea Morainic Amphitheater, serving as an essential site for studying specialized flora and the geological history of the Western Alps in the Piedmont region.

Area

1.46 km²

Established

1993

Relief

Upland

Climate

Temperate

Riserva naturale speciale della Bessa: Protected Nature Reserve in Northern Piedmont

Glacial moraines and archaeological mining landscapes near Biella

Located in the foothills of the Alps, the Riserva naturale speciale della Bessa is defined by its austere, stone-filled plateau. This nature reserve offers a unique look at Pleistocene glacial deposits and the extensive traces of Roman placer gold extraction. The geography includes erratic boulders, deep erosional channels, and historic terrace systems that reveal a deep connection between ancient labor and natural geological forces.

Area

7.5 km²

Established

2009

IUCN

IV

Réserve naturelle nationale du Vallon de Bérard: Geography and Protected Alpine Terrain

High-altitude glacial valleys and crystalline peaks of Haute-Savoie

Situated in the heart of the Aiguilles Rouges massif, Réserve naturelle nationale du Vallon de Bérard preserves a compact mosaic of high-mountain ecosystems. From the Eau de Bérard torrent to the crystalline needles of Aiguille du Belvédère, the reserve provides a protected refuge for alpine species and a rare look at relict glacial landscapes within the French Alps.

Area

5.397 km²

Established

1992

IUCN

IV

Relief

Mountain

Réserve naturelle régionale de la tourbière des Saisies - Beaufortain - Val d'Arly Protected Area Map

High-altitude peatland geography in the Savoie department.

Investigate the complex topography and conservation significance of the Réserve naturelle régionale de la tourbière des Saisies - Beaufortain - Val d'Arly. This protected area stands as a unique alpine landmark, recognized for its subalpine boreal vegetation, rich bird populations, and critical role as a regional peatland sanctuary within the Savoie mountain range.

Area

2.93 km²

Established

2013

IUCN

IV

Riserva speciale del Sacro Monte di Varallo: Nature Reserve and Woodland Geography

Exploring the protected boundaries and forest terrain in Piemonte

Riserva speciale del Sacro Monte di Varallo is a compact nature reserve in the Piedmont region, distinguished by its Renaissance-inspired woodland and elevation above the Valsesia valley. This protected landscape combines ecological richness with historic chapel architecture, offering a study in the intersection of natural terrain, cultural heritage, and Alpine foothill geography.

Area

0.217 km²

Established

1990

IUCN

V

Relief

Upland

Riserva naturale speciale dell'Isolone di Oldenico: Geography and Riverine Conservation Atlas

Protected riparian corridors in the Po Plain region of Northern Italy

This nature reserve preserves a distinct island feature formed by the Sesia river system. As a vital component of the lower Sesia valley network, the protected area contrasts sharply with the surrounding agricultural land by maintaining indigenous riverine vegetation, marshy habitat pockets, and natural levees within the flat terrain of the Province of Vercelli.

Area

0.52 km²

Established

1978

IUCN

IV

Écrins National Park: Alpine Glaciated Terrain and Protected Landscape Details

Mapped boundaries and regional geography of a major French National Park.

Delve into Écrins National Park, a defining national park within the French Alps. This page provides a comprehensive overview of its protected landscape, focusing on its dramatic glaciated terrain, significant peaks such as the Barre des Écrins, and its position within the regional geographic context. Explore the mapped extent and understand the unique alpine environment of this protected area.

Area

925 km²

Established

1973

IUCN

II

Visitors

800K annual

Val Grande National Park: National Park Protected Landscape in Piedmont

Explore its mapped boundaries and regional geographic context.

Val Grande National Park represents a key protected landscape within the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. This canonical page offers detailed insights into the park's designated status as a national park, its specific geographic placement, and its mapped protected boundaries. Users can navigate its atlas-level details to understand its role in the regional geography and conservation landscape, providing a structured foundation for further discovery of Italy's natural protected areas.

Area

170.21 km²

Established

1992

IUCN

II

Relief

Mountain

Réserve naturelle régionale des Partias: Alpine Geography and Protected Nature Reserve Data

High-altitude mountain terrain in the southern French Alps

Covering slopes west of Briançon, Réserve naturelle régionale des Partias protects a layered alpine environment ranging from forested basins to rocky crests. This atlas entry provides a detailed geographic overview of the protected area, focusing on its distinctive mountain lakes, diverse soil substrates, and essential role in conserving alpine ecosystems.

Area

8.018 km²

Established

2009

IUCN

IV

Relief

Mountain

Roc de Chère Nature Reserve: Mapping the Botanical Diversity and Geological Features of Haute-Savoie

A protected alpine promontory bordering Lake Annecy

Roc de Chère stands as a distinct geological landmark where limestone and sandstone soils create sharp microclimate contrasts. This protected reserve provides a critical habitat for diverse plant species and rare dragonflies within a small, defined area of the French Alps. The site acts as a key element of the Lake Annecy landscape, offering insight into the post-glacial environmental history of the Savoie region through its protected cliffs and hollows.

Area

0.69 km²

Established

1977

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Temperate

Pian del Re Regional Park: Geography and Alpine Protected Landscapes in Piemonte

Glacial springs, peat bogs, and Monviso mountain terrain

Pian del Re is a significant regional park situated in the upper Po Valley of the Cottian Alps. Known for its high-altitude plateau, the area marks the origin of the Po River and hosts sensitive wetland habitats. The landscape is defined by the sharp relief of the Monviso group and a complex network of glacial meltwater, providing a distinct study in alpine ecology and mountain geography.

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Alpine

Access

Moderate access

Scope

Terrestrial

Réserve naturelle nationale de la haute vallée du Vénéon: Alpine Geography and Protected Boundaries

High-altitude mountain terrain in the French Alps

The Réserve naturelle nationale de la haute vallée du Vénéon occupies 61 hectares of striking alpine terrain near the hamlet of La Bérarde. Its landscape of steep slopes and glacial deposits functions as a key protected buffer zone, supporting diverse flora and fauna within the broader mountainous geography of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Area

0.61 km²

Established

1974

IUCN

IV

Aletschwald Nature Reserve: Geographic Insights and Protected Alpine Landscape Context

An ancient high-elevation forest ecosystem in the Swiss Valais.

Situated between 1,600 and 2,200 meters, Aletschwald represents one of the few remaining managed-free subalpine forests in the Alps. The reserve maps the interaction between glacial retreat and forest advancement, featuring a dense mosaic of Arolla pines, larch, and pioneer mosses across diverse lateral moraine formations.

Area

4 km²

Established

1933

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Alpine

Réserve naturelle nationale de la haute vallée de la Séveraisse: Protected Alpine Corridor

High-mountain riverine landscape and buffer zone in Hautes-Alpes

This nature reserve encompasses a 4-kilometer stretch of the upper Séveraisse valley, focusing on alluvial riverbed habitat and peripheral mountain terrain. Located in the French Alps, the reserve provides a protected transition zone characterized by its narrow, U-shaped valley floor and steep rocky inclines, offering a key geographic link to the wider Écrins ecosystem.

Area

1.55 km²

Established

1974

IUCN

IV

Réserve naturelle régionale du lac d'Aiguebelette: Protected Lake and Forest Geography

Regional nature reserve landscape in the Savoie Prealps

This protected area encompasses the glacial basin of Lake Aiguebelette and the forested slopes of the Montagne de l'Épine. Discover a terrain defined by the contrast between deep mountain water and upland ridgelines, representing a critical habitat and species management zone within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Area

8.442 km²

Established

2015

IUCN

IV

Relief

Mountain

Landschaftspark Binntal: Alpine Geography and Regional Protected Area in Valais, Switzerland

Mapping deep mountain valleys and glacial alpine terrain

Landschaftspark Binntal serves as a vital protected area in the Valais Alps, showcasing a vertical sequence of ecosystems from river gorges to 3000 meter peaks. The park preserves a living cultural landscape alongside significant mineralogical heritage, offering a detailed view into the high-altitude geography and remote valleys that define this distinctive corner of the Swiss mountain landscape.

Area

180 km²

Established

2008

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Alpine

Réserve naturelle nationale de la haute vallée du Béranger: Mountain Protected Area Map

Tracing the alpine terrain and torrent corridors in the French Alps.

Covering roughly 84 hectares in the Isère region, this nature reserve integrates traditional pastoral landscapes with steep-sided forest slopes and rocky alpine ridges. It functions as a key protective buffer for the larger Écrins National Park, preserving a representative slice of southern French Alpine geography within a single, cohesive valley setting.

Area

0.84 km²

Established

1974

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Alpine

Naturschutzgebiet Moulin de Vert: Protected Wetland and Forest Geography in Geneva

Detailed nature reserve map and regional landscape context

The Naturschutzgebiet Moulin de Vert nature reserve protects a mosaic of riverside woodland, meadows, and managed pond systems along the Rhône in the Canton of Geneva. Spanning approximately 132 hectares, this conservation area is recognized for supporting extensive biodiversity, from nesting peregrine falcons to diverse amphibian populations. Access this detailed geographic perspective to visualize the park boundaries, internal terrain features, and its ecological connection to the broader Swiss river landscape.

Area

1.32 km²

Established

2001

IUCN

IV

Chanivaz, Delta de l’Aubonne: Geography, Map, and Protected Landscape Context

A rare glacial geotope and river delta on Lake Geneva.

Chanivaz, Delta de l’Aubonne provides a rich look at the alluvial fan of the River Aubonne. Explore its layered terrace terrain, protected reedbeds, and riparian forests in the canton of Vaud, representing one of the best-preserved natural river mouths remaining on the northern shore of Lake Geneva.

Area

3 km²

Established

2003

Relief

Lowland

Climate

Temperate