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.
The park's name comes from Narbonne, its best-known commune, and it spans 21 municipalities including Gruissan, Bages and Sigean, where the park administration is based. The "Nature et Patrimoine" scheme, launched by the park, lets visitors walk the territory freely, join guided nature and heritage outings, and stay in accommodation aligned with the park.
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 park's ten named étangs include Bages-Sigean, La Palme, Pissevaches, l'Ayrolle, Gruissan, Campignol, Doul, Grazel, Mateille and les Ayguades, all held behind the sandy lido that separates them from the sea. The same 10 km also carries the salins de Gruissan and climbs to the 707 m Montoullié de Périllou in the Corbières.
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