Port-Cros National Park (french: Parc national de Port-Cros) is a French national park established on the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

island of

Port-Cros Port-Cros () is a French island in the Mediterranean island group known as the Îles d'Hyères. It is part of the commune of Hyères, in the department of Var in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The island was donated to the French go ...

, east of

Toulon Toulon (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Tolon , , ) is a city on the French Riviera and a large port on the Mediterranean coast, with a major naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and the Provence province, Toulon is th ...

. It also administers natural areas in some surrounding locales.

History

Le parc national de Port-Cros en mai 2012

The park was founded in 1963 after the island of Port-Cros was bequeathed to the state; it became France's second national park after

Vanoise National Park Vanoise National Park (french: Parc national de la Vanoise) is a French national park between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys in the French Alps, containing the Vanoise massif. It was created in 1963 as the first national park in France. ...

. The state is the sole land owner on the island, which is a natural protected area. The park's boundaries were extended in 2012 to encompass most of

Porquerolles Porquerolles (; oc, Porcairòlas), also known as the Île de Porquerolles, is an island in the Îles d'Hyères, Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. Its land area is and in 2004, its population has benn about 200. Porquerolles, the larges ...

Geography

Port-Cros National Park is the first national park in Europe that unites terrestrial and maritime protection zones. The protected area is about 1,700 hectares of land and 2,900 hectares of sea at a 600 metre (656 yard) zone from the coast. Most of the area of the main islands of Port-Cros and Porquerolles are protected, as well as the small islands of Bagaud, Gabinière and Rascas. Until 2012, about 1,000 hectares of land on the island of Porquerolles had since 1971 been under the national park's administration (Conservatoire Botanique National Méditerranéen de Porquerolles).

Regulations

There are strict behaviour rules for the few inhabitants as well as daily tourists there. Sea bathing is only permitted on three beaches and smoking or taking dogs can result in an extensive fine.

External links

Official website
{{Authority control National parks of France Geography of Var (department) Protected areas established in 1963 Tourist attractions in Var (department)