Île de Terre

Île de Terre is a nature reserve located off the Normandy coast near Saint-Marcouf. The island serves as a protected bird sanctuary managed by the French National Museum of Natural History.

French military forces constructed defense fortifications and a garrison building on the island between 1849 and 1858 to house around 60 troops. The site later became protected as a nature reserve in the following century.

The nature reserve bears the name of Bernard Braillon, its first conservation manager, following its establishment in 1960.

The island is closed to the public year-round to protect nesting bird colonies. Visitors can view it from the mainland or approach by boat with advance planning and proper permissions.

The island hosts one of the largest seabird colonies along the French Atlantic coast with thousands of birds from multiple species. This rich wildlife population makes it an important research location for ornithologists and conservationists.

Location: Saint-Marcouf

Part of: îles Saint-Marcouf

GPS coordinates: 49.49360,-1.15444

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:44