The Parc naturel régional de Carmargue is a protected area which was designated in 1970 along the shoreline of the

Camargue Camargue (, also , , ; oc, label= Provençal, Camarga) is a region of France located south of Arles, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône delta. The eastern arm is called the ''Grand Rhône''; the western one is the ''P ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. The park protects a

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

environment and an adjacent marine area. The boundaries of the park have been expanded to include a lagoon called the

Étang de Vaccarès Étang de Vaccarès is a lake, or, more accurately, a salt water lagoon (french: étang), in the wetlands of the Camargue in the delta of the River Rhône in southern France. Description The lake has an area of 65 km², and the depth is l ...

. The Camargue is also the site of a national nature reserve, and has been designated by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

as a

biosphere reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...

Twinning

The park is twinned with a Spanish wetland, the

Doñana National Park Doñana National Park or Parque Nacional y Natural de Doñana is a natural reserve in Andalucía, southern Spain, in the provinces of Huelva (most of its territory), Cádiz and Seville. It covers , of which are a protected area. The park is an ...

at the mouth of the

Guadalquivir The Guadalquivir (, also , , ) is the fifth-longest river in the Iberian Peninsula and the second-longest river with its entire length in Spain. The Guadalquivir is the only major navigable river in Spain. Currently it is navigable from the Gulf ...

. The two parks share a number of characteristics including significance for bird-life and semi-feral horses, and proximity to a pilgrimage site (

Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (, lit.: "Saint Marys of the Sea"; Provençal Occitan: ''Li Santi Mario de la Mar'') is the capital of the Camargue ( Provençal Occitan ''Camarga'') in the south of France. It is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône ...

and the

Hermitage of El Rocío The Hermitage of El Rocío ( es, Ermita del Rocío or ''Ermita de El Rocío'') is a hermitage at El Rocío in the countryside of Almonte, Province of Huelva, Andalusia, Spain. The hermitage is home to the Virgin of El Rocío ( es, Virgen del Ro ...

).
El hermanamiento del Espacio Natural de Doñana y la Camarga francesa
Article on the twinning In 1992, the site was formally twinned with the

Danube Delta The Danube Delta ( ro, Delta Dunării, ; uk, Дельта Дунаю, Deľta Dunaju, ) is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Ro ...

Biosphere Reserve Ramsar site by an agreement between the governments of Romania and France. Ramsar site no. 521.

References

External links

Camargue, a delta and its people

Parcs naturels régionaux de France, Camargue
Geography of Bouches-du-Rhône Camargue Biosphere reserves of France Carmargue Marine reserves Tourist attractions in Bouches-du-Rhône {{Europe-protected-area-stub

Twinning

See also

References

External links