Réserve naturelle nationale des dunes et marais d'Hourtin, National nature reserve in Hourtin, France.
The Réserve naturelle nationale des dunes et marais d'Hourtin is a protected area along the coast that combines beaches, dunes, wetlands, and forests in one landscape. The terrain transitions gradually from sandy shores through vegetated dunes to marshes and wooded areas further inland.
The area received official protection in 2009 when the French government established it as a nature reserve to safeguard the region's natural habitats. This decision arose from collaboration between government authorities and forest management agencies.
The reserve functions as a space where visitors walk through different landscapes and discover what lives in the dunes, marshes, and forests. The marked paths and signs help people understand how these environments support each other.
The reserve has several walking trails that start from different points such as Hourtin beach, Contaut, and Piqueyrot. Entry is free and the paths are accessible year-round for visitors.
The reserve functions as an ecological corridor that connects different habitats and helps threatened species like the European pond turtle and ocellated lizard survive and move between areas. This connection allows animals to migrate through otherwise isolated zones.
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