Discover the French Riviera and the Mediterranean coast otherwise

Beyond the hieght crowded beaches of large buildings at crazy loans attention to welcome tourist crowds, the coast of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur has been able to develop other proposals more conducive to meeting with guests and local products. Thus, between land and sea, you will find number of regional parks and natural sites where we practice a tourism more responsible, respectful environment and men who drive it, parks and natural sites that reflect the will of an entire region to engage for a more balanced, diffuse, tourism to put forward the natural and landscaped beyond the only resort assets.

coastline paca

Beyond the beaches and crowds

Beyond the beaches and crowds, many natural spaces remain to be discovered throughout the ACAP coastal. The most renowned are undoubtedly the regional natural park of the Camargue and the National Park of Port-Cros and the Calanques, dubbed 'National park' in 2012 for the latter (the tenth in France) so it has exceptional biodiversity. However, one must also add number of sites managed by the Conservatoire du littoral, often eco-tourist treasures. Thus, at the foot of the Massif des Maures, facing the islands of Hyères in the Var, the Domaine du Rayol is a natural protected area of 20 hectares where landscape designer Gilles Clément has designed the garden of Mediterranean, an invitation to travel through the Mediterranean landscapes of the world and landscapes to more arid or subtropical climate. Another idea, discover Reserve natural marsh of Vigueirat, a major site for the conservation of waterfowl in Europe. Almost 300 species (more than 60 / avifauna) identified nine species of herons of Europe, one of the unique natural populations of greylag and one large colony of bee-eaters. The flora is also exceptional, with near 891 identified species, some very rare, as the scorzonera with small flowers, listed in the Red Book of endangered of France. Finally, there are the saline of Hyères, des Vieux Salins and salt of Pesquiers, where numerous naturalistic visits are organized.

Mediterranean coast

Learn how to discover what conceal the sea and its surroundings...

Damage to stay glued to your whole hours towel when you could swap the sun burns against astonishing discoveries. Under the Sun, the beach, of course, but beneath the waves? Do you know that many opportunities are offered to discover what is happening under the Mediterranean. This can take the form of underwater trails such as offer the Naturoscope environment le Pradet Pole or Pole mer Marseille. You can also try these marine trails with the Cape Town blue workshop of the Eagle that organizes outings at sea from 2 h 30 to discover the shallows of the coastline with an eco-guide of the sea or the Domaine du Rayol.

Practice, but also preserve. Tools have been developed in place for more than ten years to sensitize visitors to the fragility of coastal and marine environments. Following the 2nd meetings regional sea in 2001, the Region has established network sea. The latter brings together different types of actors (associations, coastal zone management structures that make education in the marine and coastal environment, representatives of institutions, the scientific community, water sports and tourism professionals) who have wished to pool their skills and resources to concentrate on the best environmental education actions. The objective: evolve behaviors and improve the process of preservation of the coastal and marine environment. Various actions have thus put in places to inform and sensitize the public whose numbers of educational tools (DVD, travelling exhibitions, observation kit, books, etc.) and a major eco in the Mediterranean campaign. Where is encouraged, for example, to use soaps of vegetable origin, sorting waste boat to search sandy areas for anchoring, to use the wc marine only away from places of bathing, to observe the animals without touching or disturbing them and many other common sense tips, important to always remind tourists from crossing.