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Geographic distribution of nearby reserves and regional protected lands

Protected Areas and Natural Landscapes Near Réserve naturelle nationale du Toarcien

Navigate the regional geography surrounding the Réserve naturelle nationale du Toarcien to locate nearby protected areas and natural sites. This overview tracks the distribution of neighboring reserves across the Nouvelle-Aquitaine landscape, providing a mapped perspective on how these protected units relate to the stratotype site of the Thouet valley.

Related tags

geological reservestratotypejurassictoarcianfossils

France's smallest national nature reserve, protecting the geological stratotype of the Toarcian stage.

Toarcien National Nature Reserve

The Toarcien National Nature Reserve is a French national nature reserve of exceptional geological importance, located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region near the town of Thouars in the Deux-Sèvres department. Spanning just 0.61 hectares across two former open-pit quarries in the Thouet valley, it is officially the smallest national nature reserve in France. Despite its modest size, the reserve holds extraordinary scientific value: it protects the global stratotype, the internationally recognized reference outcrop, for the Toarcian stage of the Early Jurassic. The reserve safeguards a richly fossiliferous marine sedimentary formation that documents a pivotal interval of the Jurassic period. More than 80 species of ammonites have been identified across the Toarcian section, along with foraminifera, ostracods, bivalves, gastropods, belemnites, and nautili. Because ammonites evolved rapidly, they serve as precise biostratigraphic markers, allowing the Toarcian to be subdivided into 34 elementary units, or "horizons," each spanning roughly 260,000 years. The site also allows observation of three successive Jurassic stages, an angular unconformity between the Upper Cretaceous and the Middle Jurassic, and a further unconformity relating to the Mio-Quaternary alluvial deposits of the Thouet. Together, these features make the reserve a compact but internationally significant reference point for stratigraphy, paleontology, and the geological history of western France.

Location
France
Park type
Nature reserve
Established
1987
Area
0 km²
Réserve naturelle nationale du Toarcien Geological Atlas
Regional park map

See the ranked park cluster in its geographic setting

Nearby parks around Toarcien National Nature Reserve

This regional map shows the same 20 nearby parks ranked below around Toarcien National Nature Reserve. Select a ranked marker to highlight that park’s boundary where boundary data is available.
Reference park: Toarcien National Nature ReserveRanked nearby park20 nearby parks shown
20 nearby parks

Explore surrounding protected-landscape patterns and regional park geography by geographic proximity.

Ranked Parks and Protected Areas Geographically Near Réserve Naturelle Nationale du Toarcien

Examine a distance-ranked collection of nearby protected areas surrounding Réserve naturelle nationale du Toarcien to analyze regional environmental variations and geographic spread. Structured comparison metrics reveal surrounding conservation patterns and regional park geography across the wider territory without implying shared terrain.
Nature reserveNouvelle-Aquitaine
About 3 km away#1 closest

South

Réserve naturelle régionale de la vallée du Pressoir: Protected Limestone Valley and Geoheritage

A rare natural and cultural mosaic in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Trace the boundaries and natural features of the Réserve naturelle régionale de la vallée du Pressoir. This protected site in the Deux-Sèvres department is defined by thin calcareous soils, the historic Pommiers cascade, and fossil-rich limestone outcrops that form an unusual geoheritage landscape.

Area
0.56 km²
Established
2025
IUCN
IV
Visitors
10K annual
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 16 km away#2 closest

Northeast

Réserve naturelle régionale Champagne de Méron: Geographic and Protected Area Overview

A regional nature reserve within the Maine-et-Loire department.

Located in the heart of the Anjou countryside, Réserve naturelle régionale Champagne de Méron represents a strategic effort to safeguard biodiversity within western France. Covering 146 hectares, this protected area illustrates the intersection of modern conservation goals and historic rural landscapes, offering a clear view of how regional authorities manage and restore fragmented natural habitats.

Area
1.461 km²
Established
2023
IUCN
IV
Scope
Terrestrial
Nature reserveCentre-Val de Loire
About 36 km away#3 closest

Northeast

Marais de Taligny Regional Nature Reserve: A Protected Wetland in Centre-Val de Loire

Alluvial valley geography and restored marshland habitats

Spanning the Négron valley, this regional nature reserve serves as an vital sanctuary for alkaline fen formations and diverse aquatic species. The site provides a detailed look at the intersection of riverine drainage, alluvial woodland, and the successful ecological restoration of historical French wetland landscapes.

Area
0.354 km²
Established
2014
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
A soft watercolor illustration featuring a calm pond in the foreground, with reeds on the right and a distant treeline and rolling hills in the background.
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 36 km away#4 closest

North

Réserve naturelle régionale des étang et boisements de Joreau: Protected Area Atlas Profile

Wetland and woodland mosaic in the Pays de la Loire region.

This profile examines the 92-hectare Réserve naturelle régionale des étang et boisements de Joreau, a protected area in the Maine-et-Loire department. The site features a specialized composition of freshwater ponds and mature woodlands, reflecting the traditional riverine landscapes found throughout the broader Loire Valley regional geography.

Area
0.92 km²
Established
2015
IUCN
IV
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 55 km away#5 closest

Northwest

Réserve naturelle régionale de Basses-Brosses et Chevalleries: Protected Area Mapping

A dense bocage landscape in the Pays de la Loire region

This regional nature reserve protects a well-preserved mosaic of meadows, cultivated plots, and wooded hedgerows across 90 hectares. The site serves as a vital ecological anchor in the Maine-et-Loire department, maintaining traditional land patterns and diverse species habitats that define the historic rural character of the Anjou countryside.

Area
0.9 km²
Established
2012
IUCN
IV
Nature reserveDeux-Sèvres
About 55 km away#6 closest

South

Réserve naturelle régionale du bocage des Antonins: Protected Landscape and Geographic Atlas

Detailed ecological mapping of the Gâtine armoricaine countryside

The Réserve naturelle régionale du bocage des Antonins occupies a distinct space in the Deux-Sèvres department. This protected area serves as a repository for the traditional bocage countryside, featuring a complex arrangement of pollarded trees, wet meadows, and the historic étang des Forges. The site offers a significant look at the structural history of rural western France through its preserved environmental matrix.

Area
0.226 km²
Established
2015
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
A soft watercolor painting of a serene natural landscape with rolling hills, a calm body of water, and forested ridges under a pastel sky.
Nature reserveFrance
About 62 km away#7 closest

Southeast

Réserve naturelle régionale du site de Saint-Cyr: Wetland Geography and Protected Landscapes

Mapping a 39-hectare wetland refuge along the Clain river in France.

Located in the Vienne department, this regional nature reserve provides a critical link for waterbirds moving between the Loire valley and the Atlantic coast. The landscape features a mosaic of ponds, small islands, and alluvial forests that highlight the successful transition from former industrial quarry land into a biodiverse wetland ecosystem.

A soft watercolor painting of a calm pond surrounded by green grasses, shrubs, and rolling hills in the background.
Nature reserveNouvelle-Aquitaine
About 67 km away#8 closest

Southeast

Réserve naturelle nationale du Pinail: Protected Pond and Heathland Mosaic in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Mapped geography of a unique French nature reserve

Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, Réserve naturelle nationale du Pinail preserves a rare cultural-ecological landscape. The site features an extraordinary concentration of three thousand small acidic ponds created by medieval millstone quarrying, now surrounded by protected heather and dwarf gorse heathland. This structured overview highlights the terrain, habitat connectivity, and regional importance of this internationally recognized Ramsar wetland site.

Area
1.35 km²
Established
1980
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 76 km away#9 closest

North

Réserve naturelle régionale des marais de Cré-sur-Loir et La Flèche Protected Landscape

Wetland ecosystems in the Pays de la Loire region.

Spanning an old meander of the Loir river, this regional nature reserve preserves a complex network of marshes, canals, and alluvial forests. Learn about its unique floodplain geography and the protected wetland habitats that sustain regional biodiversity in the heart of the Sarthe department.

Area
0.531 km²
Established
2008
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
Nature reserveNouvelle-Aquitaine
About 78 km away#10 closest

South

Réserve naturelle régionale du marais de Galuchet et des boucles de la Sèvre Niortaise Geography and Map

Urban protected wetland in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France

This urban nature reserve protects 151 hectares of diverse wetland habitats along the Sèvre Niortaise. The landscape is defined by river meanders, wet meadows, and riparian corridors, making it a critical site for regional biodiversity and urban ecological connectivity in the Deux-Sèvres department.

Area
1.51 km²
Established
2025
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 79 km away#11 closest

Northwest

Réserve naturelle régionale de la ferme de la Chauffetière: Geographic and Landscape Atlas

Protected nature reserve in the Pays de la Loire region

Spanning 30 hectares, the Réserve naturelle régionale de la ferme de la Chauffetière showcases the authentic Mauges bocage landscape. Its varied terrain includes humid valleys, dry calcareous slopes, and agricultural plateaus, providing essential habitat for amphibians, rare orchids, and saproxylic insects within a living, working farm environment.

Area
0.3 km²
Established
2008
IUCN
IV
Relief
Upland
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 82 km away#12 closest

North

Réserve naturelle régionale du coteau et prairies des Caforts: Protected Area and Map Atlas

A diverse protected landscape in the Pays de la Loire region

Situated in the Loir valley, this regional nature reserve combines three distinct landscape types: dry limestone slopes, humid hay meadows, and 910 meters of man-made tuffeau quarry galleries. The site represents a significant pocket of biodiversity, hosting sixteen bat species and rare flora within its compact protected footprint in Sarthe.

Area
0.064 km²
Established
2009
IUCN
IV
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 84 km away#13 closest

Northeast

Réserve naturelle régionale des prairies et roselière des Dureaux: Loir Valley Protected Landscapes

Regional Nature Reserve in Pays de la Loire, France

Spanning the alluvial plains near Vaas, this reserve protects essential wet meadows and reedbed communities shaped by the seasonal rhythm of the Loir River. The landscape features a classic bocage character, offering a distinct example of wetland conservation within the Pays de la Loire region.

Area
0.253 km²
Established
2001
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 84 km away#14 closest

Southwest

Réserve naturelle régionale du marais communal du Poiré-sur-Velluire Regional Nature Reserve

Mapping wetland biodiversity in the Pays de la Loire region

Spanning over 240 hectares of reclaimed marshland, this protected area stands as a unique ecological stronghold in France. The reserve demonstrates how traditional collective land management sustains a rich mosaic of freshwater and brackish habitats, supporting more than 177 bird species and heritage livestock breeds in an expansive, open terrain.

Area
2.41 km²
Established
2012
IUCN
IV
Scope
Terrestrial
Watercolor painting of a wetland landscape featuring grassy banks, calm water, and soft rolling hills in the background.
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 95 km away#15 closest

Southwest

Réserve naturelle régionale du marais de la Vacherie: Protected Wetland Geography and Maps

Ecological mosaic of the Marais poitevin in Pays de la Loire

The Réserve naturelle régionale du marais de la Vacherie protects a high-quality fragment of historical marshland. Defined by flat terrain, winter-flooded depressions, and a complex system of drainage channels, the site serves as a crucial habitat for rare wetland flora and migratory waterbirds. This protected landscape offers insight into the sediment-rich, gently undulating terrain that characterizes the back-marsh zones of the Atlantic seaboard.

Area
1.81 km²
Established
2008
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 96 km away#16 closest

West

Réserve naturelle régionale du bocage humide des Cailleries: Protected Landscape and Regional Map

Wet bocage and oak woodland in the Lake Grand-Lieu watershed

Covering roughly 18 hectares, this protected area features a fine-textured mosaic of woody hedgerows, wet meadows, and multiple small ponds. The site acts as a functional refuge for varied flora and fauna, illustrating the traditional Atlantic landscape character within western France through its structured management of meadows and pond systems.

Area
0.182 km²
Established
2012
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
Watercolor painting of a winding river flowing through a grassy plain, with soft green hills in the distance and a large rock in the foreground.
Nature reserveCentre-Val de Loire
About 102 km away#17 closest

East

Réserve naturelle régionale du Bois des Roches: Geographic Overview and Protected Area Atlas

Limestone cliffs and archaeological landscapes in Centre-Val de Loire

Situated in the Indre department of France, this nature reserve is defined by its south-facing limestone cliffs and diverse ecological layers. Beyond its role as a sanctuary for bat colonies and thermophilic flora, the site reveals a deep history of Upper Paleolithic human occupation. MoriAtlas provides a comprehensive geographic look at this protected landscape and its structural role within the broader Brenne ecological context.

Area
0.122 km²
Established
1997
IUCN
IV
Relief
Upland
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 102 km away#18 closest

West

Réserve naturelle régionale de la tourbière de Logné: Protected Wetland Landscape Map

A rare peatland refuge in the Pays de la Loire administrative region

Located on the outskirts of Nantes, the Réserve naturelle régionale de la tourbière de Logné protects a delicate raised bog system. This atlas entry provides a detailed look at the basin terrain, its surrounding hills, and the wetland connectivity that supports its status as a critical botanical and invertebrate sanctuary within the Erdre valley.

Area
0.706 km²
Established
2011
IUCN
IV
Nature reservePays de la Loire
About 104 km away#19 closest

Southwest

Réserve naturelle régionale de la ferme de Choisy: Marshland Protected Area and Regional Geography

Sub-brackish wet meadows of the Marais poitevin, Pays de la Loire.

Discover the unique ecological character of Réserve naturelle régionale de la ferme de Choisy, a vital wetland site in western France. This reserve showcases the intersection of traditional pastoral management and marshland conservation, hosting extensive bird populations and rare flora across its low-lying, reclaimed landscape.

Area
0.8 km²
Established
1991
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
A horizontal watercolor painting depicting a winding river or lagoon flowing through rolling green hills and wetlands.
Nature reserveVendée
About 112 km away#20 closest

Southwest

Réserve naturelle nationale de la casse de la Belle-Henriette: Geography and Protection

Coastal lagoon and dune habitat atlas in Vendée

Covering a narrow strip of the Atlantic coast, Réserve naturelle nationale de la casse de la Belle-Henriette protects essential marine lagoon and saltmarsh habitats. This data set explores the reserve's shifting dune morphology and its significance as a migratory bird corridor within the broader coastal geography of the Pays de la Loire region.

Area
3.37 km²
Established
2011
IUCN
IV
Relief
Lowland
Distance methodology

Geographic measurements, not driving distances

How nearby park distances are calculated

Distances use park boundaries whenever the available geometry allows it. When one or both boundaries are missing, the mapped park locations provide a clearly labelled estimate. Every value represents straight-line geographic separation and does not use roads or routing.

Boundary distance

Calculated between the nearest points of both park boundaries.

Location-to-boundary estimate

Estimated from one mapped park location to the nearest boundary of the other park.

Mapped-location estimate

Estimated between the mapped locations of both parks.

MoriAtlas Explorer

Explore the Geological Boundaries of Réserve naturelle nationale du Toarcien

Continue mapping the significant paleontological records of the Toarcian stage within this unique protected landscape. MoriAtlas provides a structured look at the geological layers and fossil history preserved in these French quarries. Dive into the stratotype definitions and regional geography that make this small reserve an internationally recognized scientific monument.