Pilat Regional Natural Park, Regional natural park in Rhône, France
The park extends across 65,000 hectares of land with mountains, meadows, and forests between Saint-Etienne and the Rhône Valley.
Established in 1974, the park emerged from local communities' desire to protect their territory while maintaining agricultural and forestry activities.
Local farmers maintain traditional cheese-making methods, producing specialties like the Rigotte de Condrieu through centuries-old techniques.
The park features 2,500 kilometers of marked trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, with maps available at information centers.
The park contains distinct microclimates due to its location between Mediterranean and continental influences, supporting rare plant species.
Location: Rhône
Inception: 1974
Website: https://parc-naturel-pilat.fr
GPS coordinates: 45.39389,4.58583
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:41
France maintains eleven national parks and dozens of regional nature parks that protect diverse landscapes from the Mediterranean coast to the Alps. The protected areas preserve mountains, coastlines, wetlands, volcanic formations and forests. They provide habitat for various wildlife and plant species while offering opportunities for hiking, birdwatching and other outdoor activities. The Parc National des Écrins and Vanoise National Park lie in the French Alps, featuring alpine terrain with glaciers and mountain lakes. Mercantour National Park stretches from the Maritime Alps to the Mediterranean coast. Calanques National Park near Marseille protects limestone cliffs and inlets. Cévennes National Park in Occitanie encompasses forested mountains and plateaus. Coastal areas such as Port-Cros and Camargue preserve Mediterranean ecosystems and wetlands. The Volcans d'Auvergne in the Massif Central protects extinct volcanoes and lava fields, while parks like Morvan and Ballons des Vosges preserve forested mid-elevation ranges.
Saint-Etienne offers various photography settings with the Cite du Design and Cathedral Saint-Charles-Borromee. The city displays industrial buildings, art museums, gardens, and public squares. Outside the city center extend the Loire Gorges and Pilat Regional Park.
Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne
16.9 km
Safari de Peaugres
17.3 km
Safari de Peaugres Circuit Piéton
16.6 km
Saint-Étienne Mine Museum
17.1 km
Vienne Cathedral
26.7 km
Espace zoologique de Saint-Martin-la-Plaine
17.3 km
Zénith de Saint-Étienne Métropole
16.5 km
Saint-Étienne Cathedral
16.6 km
Centre de l'Étrat
19.4 km
Émetteur du mont Pilat
2 km
Maisons sans escalier
15.5 km
Chartreuse de Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez
10.6 km
Musée d'art moderne
18.5 km
Crêt de la Perdrix
1.6 km
Musée Gallo-Romain de Saint-Romain-en-Gal
26.9 km
Ancient Roman circus of Vienne
25.9 km
Crêt de l'Œillon
2.1 km
Saint Peter's church
26.5 km
Grand'Église
16.4 km
Musée d'Art et d'Industrie de Saint-Étienne
16 km
Hôtel de ville de Saint-Étienne
16.4 km
Château d'Ampuis
20.5 km
Château de Roussillon
17.8 km
Château d'Albon
27.5 km
Ternay
10.1 km
Domaine de Marc Seguin
15.9 km
Abbey of Valbenoîte
14.9 km
Église Saint-Pierre de Champagne
21.5 kmReviews
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