Visiting Vanoise National Park
In the heart of Savoie, right on the border with France, lies the expansive Vanoise National Park. It is paired with the Italian Gran Paradiso National Park, and together they form a protected natural area covering over 1000 square kilometers. Think of the scale here as comparable to a large US national park like Olympic or Glacier, but with a unique alpine character.
History
Established in 1963, Vanoise National Park holds the distinction of being the first national park in France. It was originally created to address a critical situation, the near-total disappearance of ibex from the Vanoise massif. Although the area became a nature reserve in 1943, it took the persistence of Gilbert Andre, the mayor of Bonneval-sur-Arc, to secure a unanimous vote for the creation of the park from the Conseil general de Savoie (Savoie General Council). Following support from several key political figures, the decision was finalized.
The project was eventually entrusted to architect Denys Pradelle. He established a central zone strictly protected from human activity, alongside a peripheral zone designed for development, particularly for tourism.
A real estate project caused significant friction among local populations between 1968 and 1970, as some resorts sought to expand into the core of the park, which was meant to remain untouched. The controversy reached such a pitch that it prompted a formal address from President Pompidou in 1970. While an extension was eventually granted, it did not encroach upon the core protected zone.
Vanoise National Park
The park reaches its highest point at 3855 meters (12,648 feet) at the summit of the Grande Casse. It also features 107 peaks exceeding 3000 meters (9842 feet), making it a high-altitude playground for mountaineering and hiking.
You can also find remarkably preserved rock paintings and carvings in several locations throughout the park, which are accessible throughout the year.
The local wildlife and flora are exceptional. Keep an eye out for foxes, chamois, ibex, brown bears, lynx, stoats, and wolves. If you look up, you might even be lucky enough to spot a golden eagle.
A wild, natural sanctuary.
One of the oldest French natural parks, created to preserve this region of the Alps where high and mid-mountain terrain, forests and meadows, small mountain villages, and wild, even rare, flora and fauna all coexist.
I have such great memories of a hike I did in late spring, during the month of May. Flowers of every color, birds, ibex (or were they mouflons?), and mini waterfalls.
A bit of a workout, lots of ups and downs.