Geographic Discovery of Protected Areas near Rhône du Pont de Groslée à Murs-et-Gélignieux

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

Réserve naturelle régionale des étangs de Mépieu: Atlas and Geographic Protected Area Overview

Wetlands, peatlands, and dry grasslands in northern Isère

The Réserve naturelle régionale des étangs de Mépieu offers a striking study in ecological contrast. This protected landscape contains a dense mosaic of five ponds and marshy terrain set directly against sun-exposed dry grasslands and heathland slopes. The site serves as a vital corridor for migratory birds and rare flora within the rolling countryside of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Area

1.618 km²

Established

2008

IUCN

IV

Relief

Lowland

Réserve naturelle régionale de l'étang de Saint-Bonnet: Wetland Atlas and Map Discovery

Examining protected wetland geography in the Isère department

This protected area centers on the étang de Saint-Bonnet, a wetland habitat defined by dense reedbeds and pond-centered ecosystems. It provides a distinct example of nature conservation situated between major urban corridors, showcasing how amphibians and diverse bird communities thrive within a small, managed lowland basin.

Area

0.514 km²

Established

1987

IUCN

IV

Relief

Lowland

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

Réserve naturelle régionale de l'étang de Haute-Jarrie, Isère Protected Wetland Landscape

Regional nature reserve and migratory bird sanctuary

Situated on the Plateau de Champagnier in Isère, this regional nature reserve offers a concentrated example of glacial pond ecology and wetland biodiversity. Covering 11 hectares, it acts as a critical stopover within the Grésivaudan valley migratory corridor. This protected site features diverse habitats, including reedbeds and wet meadows, that support hundreds of recorded bird species and a variety of dragonflies and amphibians, making it a significant area for ecological study.

Area

0.11 km²

Established

2008

IUCN

IV

Relief

Upland

Réserve naturelle régionale des Isles du Drac: Braided River Landscape and Regional Map Context

A vital riverine conservation corridor in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France

The Réserve naturelle régionale des Isles du Drac occupies an expansive alluvial floodplain where the river transitions into a braided system. This reserve preserves dynamic gravel bars and woodland habitats that support exceptional biodiversity within the northern Alpine landscape. It offers a detailed look at how riverine corridors persist alongside significant hydroelectric and industrial infrastructure in the Grenoble area.

Area

8.048 km²

Established

2009

IUCN

IV

Relief

Lowland

Réserve naturelle régionale de la galerie du Pont-des-Pierres Regional Nature Reserve

Protected gorge landscapes and underground habitats in France

An essential record of the Réserve naturelle régionale de la galerie du Pont-des-Pierres, detailing its critical role in safeguarding cliff and underground habitats within the Valserine gorges. This protected land in the Ain department represents a vital ecological intersection of geological features and specialized faunal refuges.

Area

0.093 km²

Established

2009

IUCN

IV

Relief

Mountain

Réserve naturelle nationale de la grotte de Hautecourt: Jura Mountain Cave Geography

Protected subterranean landscapes in the Ain department of France.

This nature reserve protects a complex underground environment characterized by a vertical 36-meter cave system and rich invertebrate biodiversity. Located on the flank of Mont Rosset in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the area provides a crucial habitat that balances delicate subterranean passages with surface limestone ridges and dry grassland ecosystems.

Area

0.102 km²

Established

1980

IUCN

IV

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

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

Réserve naturelle régionale du récif fossile de Marchon - Christian Gourrat Geological Site

A protected Jurassic fossil reef in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region

Located in the Ain department, this small nature reserve is scientifically renowned for its Kimmeridgian reef outcrop. The site protects a fossilized coral and rudist assemblage within the forêt de Marchon, offering a quiet, forested setting for studying France's ancient marine geological history.

Area

0.001 km²

Established

2015

IUCN

IV

Scope

Terrestrial

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

Réserve naturelle régionale de la mine du Verdy: A Subterranean Protected Area in France

Mapping the ecological geography of the Monts du Lyonnais.

The Réserve naturelle régionale de la mine du Verdy stands as France's smallest nature reserve, protecting an intricate network of abandoned mining galleries beneath the surface of the Monts du Lyonnais. This site serves as a crucial underground sanctuary for diverse bat species and cave-dwelling invertebrates, showcasing how repurposed industrial landscapes can harbor significant biodiversity within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Area

0.001 km²

Established

1990

IUCN

IV

Relief

Upland

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

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

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

Tourbières et lacs de la montagne jurassienne: Mapping High-Altitude Wetlands and Glacial Landscapes

A vast protected wildlife reserve in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region

Covering more than 12,000 hectares, this wildlife reserve forms a crucial conservation benchmark for peatland and glacial lake systems in the Jura Massif. The landscape encompasses deep combes, broad plateaus, and clear-water basins like Lac de Saint-Point, providing a vital habitat mosaic for diverse flora and fauna across the French highlands.

Area

121.56 km²

Established

2021

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Temperate

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 des tourbières du bief du Nanchez: Protected Jura Mountain Peatlands

Mapping bog systems and wet grassland geography in Eastern France

Located in the Jura department, this regional nature reserve preserves forty-nine hectares of vital peatland, including diverse mire communities and forested slopes. The site provides a critical look at montane landscape restoration, documenting significant bog flora and complex hydrological patterns along the Combe du Nanchez valley floor.

Area

0.488 km²

Established

2021

IUCN

IV

Relief

Upland

Parc naturel régional des Monts d'Ardèche: Protected Landscapes and Geographic Map Context

Volcanic highland terrain within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region

Covering over 248,000 hectares, Parc naturel régional des Monts d'Ardèche represents a significant protected area in the southern Massif Central. The region is marked by its distinctive volcanic sucs, including Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc, and a complex network of Cévenol river valleys. It remains a focal point for understanding the transition between high volcanic plateaus and traditional terraced agricultural slopes in southeastern France.

Area

2,280 km²

Established

2001

IUCN

V