France has eleven public holidays (not counting Easter and Pentecost, both of which of course fall on a Sunday), five sets of school breaks, and a lengthy summer vacation. Any of these is an opportunity for people to relax and enjoy the company of family members and close friends.
A great way for completely enjoying the holidays in France is to leave the comfort of your homes and go on a long trip to some scenic destinations. Some of the country's national parks can be good choices for such a holiday adventure. Here are five of them:
Parc national des Pyrénées:
The Pyrénées National Park is a 457-square kilometer national park located within the departments of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées in the southwestern part of France. Its creation was completed on March 23, 1967. The park is famous for its mountainous landscape, making it ideal for skiing, hiking, and, of course, mountain climbing. For those with special interest in wildlife, some seventy different species of animals can be observed roaming the park freely.
Parc national des Cévennes:
The Cévennes National Park is a 913-square kilometer national park located within the departments of Gard and Lozère in southern France. It was opened to visitors on September 2, 1970. The park includes two features which are mainly the reasons why this park is one of the most visited tourist destinations in France. These are the Aven Armand cave and the Arboretum de Cazebonne. The latter has a number of exotic trees and several hiking paths.
Parc national des Écrins:
The Écrins National Park is a 918-square kilometer national park located in the southeastern part of the country. It was opened to visitors on March 27, 1973. The park is famous for a number of features, including glacier fields, high mountain peaks, and alpine pastures. More than half a million tourists from around the world visit the park every year.
Parc national de la Vanoise:
The Vanoise National Park is a 1,250-square kilometer national park located in the Alps. It was completed and opened to visitors on July 6, 1963. Some of the villages adjacent to the park include Champagny-le-Bas, La Cuaz, and La Chiserette. Large ski resorts, including Tignes, Les Arcs, and Les Trois Vallées, border the park.
Parc national du Mercantour:
The Mercantour National Park is a 685-square kilometer national park located within the departments of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes. It was opened to visitors on August 18, 1979. The park consists of twenty-eight villages and seven uninhabited valleys, namely Bévéra, Haut Var/Cians, Roya, Tinée, Ubaye, Verdon, and Vésubie. The park's great flora and fauna make it really ideal for relaxation.
In addition to these, there are about fifty regional natural parks in France, each of which is an equally great vacation place during the holidays. Ten of these are mentioned here: Parc naturel régional Scarpe-Escaut, Parc naturel régional de Brière, Parc naturel régional de la Forêt d'Orient, Parc naturel régional des Grands Causses, Parc naturel régional de Millevaches en Limousin, Parc naturel régional de la Narbonnaise en Méditerranée, Parc naturel régional Périgord Limousin, Parc naturel régional de la Brenne, Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura, and Parc naturel régional du Luberon.
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