Parc naturel régional de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée, Regional natural park in Aude, France.
The Parc naturel régional de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée is a protected area along the French Mediterranean coast featuring brackish lagoons, marshes, and salt ponds. The landscape transitions from coastal flats to inland hills that rise above 700 meters in elevation.
The area received protected status in 2003 to safeguard one of the last major natural sites remaining along France's Mediterranean coast. This designation acknowledged the ecological importance of its lagoons and wetlands.
Salt harvesting and fishing shaped this land for centuries, and traces of these practices remain visible across the landscape today. People still move through the marshes following paths established by generations of workers, connecting to a way of life that defined the region.
The park can be explored through various entry points offering hiking trails, cycling routes, and observation points supported by visitor centers with maps and guidance. Spring and fall offer the most rewarding times for visiting, particularly for observing birds during migration.
The Bages-Sigean lagoon sits separated from the sea by a natural sand barrier, creating a brackish water environment found nowhere else nearby. This unusual setting attracts bird species that thrive in few other locations worldwide.
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