Brière Regional Natural Park, Regional natural park in Loire-Atlantique, France.
The park spans 122,000 acres of wetlands, featuring a network of canals, peat bogs, and seven islands with traditional thatched-roof cottages scattered throughout the landscape.
Established in 1970, this protected area developed from vast peat deposits behind Loire River dykes, becoming France's second-largest marshland ecosystem.
Local residents maintain traditional practices such as flat-bottom boat navigation, reed harvesting for thatched roofs, and the creation of crafts from fossilized oak wood.
Visitors can explore the park through guided boat tours departing from Rozé Port, with a 24-meter observation tower providing views across the wetlands.
The park contains distinctive waterways where methane gas rises from peaty bottoms, creating natural light phenomena visible on the water surface at specific times.
Location: Loire-Atlantique
Inception: 1970
Website: http://parc-naturel-briere.fr
GPS coordinates: 47.37194,-2.21417
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-Nazaire Bridge
11 km
Brière
1.7 km
Salt tide
19.9 km
Château de la Bretesche
12.8 km
Bridges of La Roche-Bernard
18.3 km
Barrage d'Arzal
19 km
Guérande city walls
16.8 km
St Albinus, Guérande
16.9 km
Pont du Morbihan
18.9 km
Château de Ranrouët
10.3 km
Château de Careil
16.1 km
Lunapark
16.5 km
Abbaye de Saint-Gildas-des-Bois
20.9 km
Kerbourg dolmens
11.2 km
Église Saint-Louis de Paimbœuf
16.5 km
Moulin de Crémeur
16.4 km
Phare de Tréhiguier
21.8 km
Saint Gohard church
9.8 km
Ursuline Convent, Guérande
16.4 km
Château de Lesnerac
12.1 km
Église Saint-Martin de Donges
12.2 km
Château de Tesson
18.1 km
Pont de Gras
11.1 km
Hélardière Manor
11 km
Riholo dolmen
10.7 km
St Lyphard and the Assumption, Saint-Lyphard
7.4 km
Jardins de Kermoureau
11.7 km
Notre-Dame-la-Blanche's Chapel
17.1 kmReviews
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