Vanoise National Park is a French national park between the Maurienne and Tarentaise valleys in the French Alps, including the Vanoise massif. It was developed in 1963 CE as the first known national park in modern France.
The park is locally a favorite and renowned for the population of Capra ibex (Alpine ibex), bouquetin in French, which is also its emblem. The alpine chamois, like the ibex, enjoys most of the year above the giant trees. They drop the snowline in early spring and late fall to savor the grass revealed by the snow and ice. Alpine marmot, Eurasian lynx, Eurasian badger, wolf, mountain hare, weasel, and ermine are the other mammals that can be commonly explored in Vanoise.
There are more than 150 different bird species in the preserved area. Birds of prey include the golden eagle, bearded vulture, and Eurasian eagle-owl. Other lovely birds observed in the park are rock ptarmigans, black woodpeckers, nutcrackers, Alpine accentors, black grouses, and choughs. The wallcreeper is located on steep cliffs, particularly for nesting.
Now that I’ve formally added why Vanoise National Park is such an adorable attraction for wildlife fanatics let us explore what else is offered here.
A Grand Place for Walking and Strolling
Vanoise National Park is ideal for strolling and stretching your legs after your flight, or perhaps on an uneventful weekend. One of the real reasons for this is because it is situated near to some of the resorts. In fact, you will be able to enter the park with just a short walk – you surely won’t need a car.
Walkways are situated throughout the path, most of which are signposted so you won’t get lost. One of the best activities is to put on your hiking boots and go off exploring simply. Just make sure that you stick to your walking level; different walks are graded black to green, with the black routes being more challenging. Hundreds of kilometers of marked hiking paths weave through preserved areas, where Alpine ibex and other mammals and birds may be seen.
But the greatest thing of all about the park? It’s free to enter, meaning you can spend as much time as you want to travel.
Other Activities in the Vanoise Natural Park Park
There are many other adventures that await you in the park that you can try out if you don’t want to spend all of your time hiking. Once you have arrived here, take the time to research the activities most suited to you and your companions.
The majority of available activities are only really possible during the warmer summer months, so this is the best time to visit if you want to try out other outdoor pursuits. These include rafting, kayaking, and rock climbing. Another activity very famous here is glacier hiking.