Protected Areas and Natural Landscapes Surrounding Réserve naturelle nationale de la grotte de Hautecourt

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

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

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

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 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 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

Réserve naturelle nationale de la grotte de Gravelle: Underground Protected Nature Reserve

A limestone cave sanctuary in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region

This protected area represents a specialized subterranean habitat in the French Jura, preserving essential maternity and hibernation roosts for eleven bat species. The reserve, set within forested limestone cliffs, remains a key node in the regional network of protected underground sites, emphasizing the conservation of fragile environments.

Area

0.014 km²

Established

1992

IUCN

IV

Relief

Upland

Réserve naturelle régionale de la côte de Mancy: Protected Landscapes and Geography

Limestone escarpments and calcareous grasslands in eastern France

Delve into the geography of Réserve naturelle régionale de la côte de Mancy, a 49-hectare nature reserve in the Jura department. This site features Jurassic limestone cliffs, thin calcareous soils, and scrubby woodlands, documenting a rich intersection of habitats that preserve rare reptiles and diverse butterfly populations within the Revermont.

Area

0.492 km²

Established

2010

IUCN

IV

Relief

Upland

Site naturel protégé de la Boucherette: Protected Limestone Grasslands in Southern Burgundy

Calcareous habitat and botanical trail geography

Located in the Saône-et-Loire commune of Lugny, this 104-hectare protected area showcases a distinctive transition between limestone hills and the Saône valley. The site is recognized for its concentration of wild orchids and its integration of ecological conservation with the historical footprint of centuries-old stone quarrying and tile production.

Area

1.04 km²

Established

2000

Visitors

1K annual

Relief

Upland

Rhône du Pont de Groslée à Murs-et-Gélignieux: Alluvial Nature Reserve & River Geography

Protected riparian habitat in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.

Analyze the complex fluvial dynamics of the Rhône du Pont de Groslée à Murs-et-Gélignieux nature reserve. This site features a well-preserved landscape of alder and ash floodplain forests, isolated side channels, and marshy meadows that provide an essential ecological corridor through the Rhône river valley.

Area

21.05 km²

Relief

Lowland

Scope

Terrestrial

Water

Water-dominated

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 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 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

Réserve naturelle régionale des grottes de la côte de la Baume, Jura Regional Nature Reserve

Karst caves and cliff-slope forest geography in France

Located in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, this nature reserve protects a vital network of karst caves and unmanaged scree-slope ash forests. The site represents a specialized conservation effort centered on cliff-side habitats and underground sanctuaries within the Jura limestone landscape.

Area

0.054 km²

Established

2017

IUCN

IV

Relief

Upland

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

Réserve naturelle régionale de la Seigne des Barbouillons Protected Landscape Atlas

Geography and wetland boundaries in the Jura plateau of France

The Réserve naturelle régionale de la Seigne des Barbouillons protects a characteristic raised bog ecosystem in the Mignovillard commune. This compact area serves as a vital reference point for understanding the distribution of sphagnum mires and specialized butterfly habitats across the Jura plateau, illustrating the contrast between protected peatlands and their surrounding agricultural environment.

Area

0.346 km²

Established

2014

IUCN

IV

Relief

Upland

Réserve naturelle régionale des tourbières de Frasne-Bouverans Protected Landscape Atlas

Peatland mosaic geography in the Drugeon valley of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Trace the boundaries and ecological features of this significant regional nature reserve. Spanning the Forbonnet massif and the wider Drugeon basin, the area features a dense concentration of raised bogs, woodlands, and mire habitats defined by complex glacial geology.

Area

2.926 km²

Established

1986

IUCN

IV

Visitors

17.5K annual

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 gouffre du Creux à Pépé: Protected Karst and Bat Landscapes

Jura foothills nature reserve with critical cave habitats

Located in the Doubs department, the Réserve naturelle régionale du gouffre du Creux à Pépé protects a rare limestone sinkhole within a mosaic of dry calcareous grassland. This site stands as a key node in regional bat conservation efforts, providing essential wintering and spring transit roosts within the Jura mountain foothills, all anchored by a dense network of biotope and Natura 2000 protective instruments.

Area

0.007 km²

Established

2015

IUCN

IV

Relief

Upland