Écrins National Park
Encyclopedia
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and consists in a mountainous region of the Dauphiné Alps
Dauphiné Alps
The Dauphiné Alps are a group of mountain ranges in southeastern France, west of the main chain of the Alps. They are separated from the Cottian Alps in the east by the Col du Galibier and the upper Durance valley; from the western Graian Alps in the north-east by the river Arc; from the lower...
, south of Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
and north of Gap
Gap, Hautes-Alpes
Gap is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Hautes-Alpes department.-Geography:An Alpine crossroads at the intersection of D994 and Route nationale 85 the Route Napoléon, Gap lies above sea level along the right bank of the Luye River...
, shared between the départements of Isère
Isère
Isère is a department in the Rhône-Alpes region in the east of France named after the river Isère.- History :Isère is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Dauphiné...
and Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes is a department in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range.- History :Hautes-Alpes is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
.
It rises up to 4,102 m (13,458 ft) at the Barre des Ecrins
Barre des Écrins
The Barre des Écrins is a mountain in the French Alps, the highest point of the Massif des Écrins, and the most southerly alpine peak in Europe that is higher than 4,000 metres.- Geography :...
and covers 918 km² (354 mi²) of high mountain areas, with high peaks, glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
fields, glacier valleys, alpine
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
pastures, subalpine
Subalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
woodlands and lakes.
Its borders mostly correspond to these of the Massif des Ecrins
Massif des Écrins
The mountains of the Massif des Écrins form the core of the Écrins National Park in France.-Mountains:*Barre des Écrins 4102 m*La Meije 3983 m*Ailefroide 3954 m*Mont Pelvoux 3946 m*Pic Sans Nom 3913 m*Pic Gaspard 3883 m*Le Râteau 3809 m...
, delimited by the main valleys of rivers Drac
Drac River
The Drac is a 130 km long river in southeastern France, left tributary of the Isère. It is formed by the confluence of the Drac Noir and the Drac Blanc, that both rise in the southern part of the Massif des Écrins. It flows through several reservoirs, including the Lac de Monteynard-Avignonet....
, Romanche
Romanche
The Romanche is a 78 km long mountain river in southeastern France, right tributary of the Drac . Its source is in the northern part of the Massif des Écrins, Dauphiné Alps. It flows into the Drac in Champ-sur-Drac, south of Grenoble. The road from Grenoble to Briançon over the Col du Lautaret runs...
and Durance
Durance
The Durance is a major river in south-eastern France.Its source is in the south-western Alps, in Montgenèvre ski resort near Briançon and it flows south-west through the following départements and cities:* Hautes-Alpes: Briançon, Embrun.* Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Sisteron, Manosque.* Vaucluse:...
(with its Guisane dependency).
It attracts up to 800,000 tourists each year.
The park has been awarded the European Diploma of Protected Areas
European Diploma of Protected Areas
The European Diploma of Protected Areas, established in 1965, is a diploma awarded by the Council of Europe to protected areas of exceptional European conservational interest. It is awarded for a five-year period at a time and is renewable...
.
Territory
The Écrins National Park covers the territory of the following communes:Ancelle
Ancelle
Ancelle is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Aspres-lès-Corps
Aspres-lès-Corps
Aspres-lès-Corps is a commune of the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Bénévent-et-Charbillac
Bénévent-et-Charbillac
Bénévent-et-Charbillac is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Besse-en-Oisans, Buissard
Buissard
Buissard is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Chabottes
Chabottes
Chabottes is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Champcella
Champcella
Champcella is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Champoléon
Champoléon
Champoléon is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Chantelouve
Chantelouve
Chantelouve is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Châteauroux-les-Alpes
Châteauroux-les-Alpes
Châteauroux-les-Alpes is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Chauffayer
Chauffayer
Chauffayer is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Clavans-en-Haut-Oisans
Clavans-en-Haut-Oisans
Clavans-en-Haut-Oisans is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Isère department...
, Crots
Crots
Crots is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-References:*...
, Embrun
Embrun, Hautes-Alpes
Embrun is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Description:...
, Entraigues
Entraigues, Isère
Entraigues is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Isère department...
, Freissinières
Freissinières
Freissinières is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Geography:Freissinières lies in a valley which is the watershed of the Biaisse, which flows into the Durance between La Roche-de-Rame and Saint-Crépin....
, L'Argentière-la-Bessée
L'Argentière-la-Bessée
L'Argentière-la-Bessée is a commune of the Hautes-Alpes department in the Alps in southeastern France.The town lies on the River Durance, which is used for kayaking, white-water rafting and other water sports. The Argentiere Canoe Slalom Course is in the Durance River south of the town. The town...
, La Chapelle-en-Valgaudémar
La Chapelle-en-Valgaudémar
La Chapelle-en-Valgaudémar is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, La Grave
La Grave
La Grave is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.It is a small ski resort in the French Alps, dominated by La Meije . It was the birthplace of Nicolas de Nicolay; adventurer and Geographer Ordinary to Henry II of France....
, La Motte-en-Champsaur
La Motte-en-Champsaur
La Motte-en-Champsaur is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Lavaldens
Lavaldens
Lavaldens is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Le Bourg-d'Oisans
Le Bourg-d'Oisans
Le Bourg-d'Oisans is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.It is located in the Oisans region of the French Alps. Le Bourg-d'Oisans is located in the valley of the Romanche river, on the road from Grenoble to Briançon, and on the south side of the Col de la Croix de Fer...
, Le Monêtier-les-Bains
Le Monêtier-les-Bains
Le Monêtier-les-Bains is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-Skiing:Monetier's slopes are a part of the extensive Serre Chevalier ski area. There are 7 chairlifts and 4 drag lifts with the highest skiing in the domain at 2760m.-Geography:Le...
, Le Périer
Le Périer
Le Périer is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Les Costes
Les Costes
Les Costes is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Les Infournas
Les Infournas
Les Infournas is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-References:*...
, Les Vigneaux
Les Vigneaux
Les Vigneaux is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Mizoën
Mizoën
Mizoën is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Mont-de-Lans
Mont-de-Lans
Mont-de-Lans is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Orcières
Orcières
Orcières is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Oris-en-Rattier
Oris-en-Rattier
Oris-en-Rattier is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Isère department...
, Ornon
Ornon
Ornon is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Oulles
Oulles
Oulles is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Pelvoux
Pelvoux
Pelvoux is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Pelvoux was bidding to be the French candidate city for the 2018 Winter Olympics.-Population:-External links:* *...
, Prunières
Prunières, Isère
Prunières is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Isère department...
, Puy-Saint-Vincent
Puy-Saint-Vincent
Puy-Saint-Vincent is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Puy-Saint-Eusèbe
Puy-Saint-Eusèbe
Puy-Saint-Eusèbe is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Puy-Sanières
Puy-Sanières
Puy-Sanières is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Réallon
Réallon
Réallon is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Réotier
Réotier
Réotier is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Apollinaire
Saint-Apollinaire, Hautes-Alpes
Saint-Apollinaire is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur
Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur
Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Geography:The commune is located at the mouth of the valley of the high Drac on the major route between Gap and Grenoble next to Écrins National Park...
, Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans
Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans
Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.-References:*...
, Saint-Clément-sur-Durance
Saint-Clément-sur-Durance
Saint-Clément-sur-Durance is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Eusèbe-en-Champsaur
Saint-Eusèbe-en-Champsaur
Saint-Eusèbe-en-Champsaur is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Firmin
Saint-Firmin
Saint-Firmin may refer to the following places in France:* Saint-Firmin, Hautes-Alpes, a commune in the department of Hautes-Alpes* Saint-Firmin, Meurthe-et-Moselle, a commune in the department of Meurthe-et-Moselle...
, Saint-Jacques-en-Valgodemard
Saint-Jacques-en-Valgodemard
Saint-Jacques-en-Valgodemard is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Jean-Saint-Nicolas
Saint-Jean-Saint-Nicolas
Saint-Jean-Saint-Nicolas is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Julien-en-Champsaur
Saint-Julien-en-Champsaur
Saint-Julien-en-Champsaur is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes
Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes
Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Maurice-en-Valgodemard
Saint-Maurice-en-Valgodemard
Saint-Maurice-en-Valgodemard is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Saint-Michel-de-Chaillol
Saint-Michel-de-Chaillol
Saint-Michel-de-Chaillol is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Savines-le-Lac
Savines-le-Lac
Savines-le-Lac is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Valbonnais
Valbonnais
Valbonnais is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Valjouffrey
Valjouffrey
Valjouffrey is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Vallouise
Vallouise
Vallouise is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Vénosc
Vénosc
Vénosc is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Villar-d'Arêne
Villar-d'Arêne
Villar-d'Arêne is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Villard-Notre-Dame
Villard-Notre-Dame
Villard-Notre-Dame is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Villard-Reymond
Villard-Reymond
Villard-Reymond is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
, Villar-Loubière
Villar-Loubière
Villar-Loubière is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
.