Pyrénées National Park

{{short description|French national park in Hautes-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Atantiques}} {{Infobox Protected area | name = Pyrénées National Park | alt_name = ''Parc national des Pyrénées'' | iucn_category = II | image = Pic du Midi d'Ossau et lac Roumassot.jpg | image_caption = Pic du Midi d'Ossau | location = Pyrenees, France | coordinates = {{coord|42|49|39|N|0|10|33|W|region:FR-B3_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline,title}} | map = France | relief = 1 | area = {{convert|458|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}} | established = 23 March 1967 | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = Parcs nationaux de France | nearest_city = Luz-Saint-Sauveur | module = {{designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = WHS | designation1_offname = Pyrénées - Mont Perdu | designation1_date = 1997 <small>(21st session)</small> | designation1_type = Mixed | designation1_criteria = iii, iv, v, vii, viii | designation1_number = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/773 773] | designation1_free1name = Region | designation1_free1value = Europe and North America | designation1_free2name = Extensions | designation1_free2value = 1999 }} }} '''Pyrénées National Park''' ({{langx|fr|Parc national des Pyrénées}}; {{langx|oc|Parc Nacional dels Pireneus}}) is a French national park located within the departments of Hautes-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Atlantiques.<ref name="parc">Le Parc national des Pyrénées (2014). Le Parc national des Pyrénées, un établissement public. Retrieved on 2014-04-19 from {{cite web |url=http://www.parc-pyrenees.com/nous-connaitre/organisation.html |title=Le Parc national des Pyrénées, un établissement public |accessdate=2015-12-28 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160129072610/http://www.parc-pyrenees.com/nous-connaitre/organisation.html |archivedate=2016-01-29 }}.</ref><ref>[http://www.hautes-pyrenees.gouv.fr/parc-national-des-pyrenees-a1259.html Fact sheet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121185810/http://www.hautes-pyrenees.gouv.fr/parc-national-des-pyrenees-a1259.html |date=2018-01-21 }} on hautes-pyrenees.gouv.fr.</ref> The park is located along the border of France and Spain along the Pyrenees Mountains, with a scenic landscape offering a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, skiing, mountain climbing and observing wildlife.<ref>Pyrenees National Park (Parc National des Pyrenees). Trip Advisor. Retrieved on 2008-02-02 from http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187166-d254589-Reviews-Pyrenees_National_Park_Parc_National_des_Pyrenees-Midi_Pyrenees.html.</ref><ref name= "unesco">{{cite web |url = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/773 |title = Pyrénées - Mont Perdu |website = UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher = United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization |access-date = 24 October 2021}}</ref>

==Description== Located in the Pyrenees mountains, Pyrenees National Park protects many limestone landforms, including karst valleys and caves. Repeated glaciations within the Quaternary created multiple cirques such as the immense Cirque de Gavarnie and large U-shaped valleys within the park.<ref name = "GR2014">{{cite book |last1=García-Ruiz |first1=José M. |last2=Valero-Garcés |first2=Blas L. |last3=Beguería |first3=Santiago |last4=López-Moreno |first4=Juan I. |last5=Martí-Bono |first5=Carlos |last6=Serrano-Muela |first6=Pilar |last7=Sanjuan |first7=Yasmina |chapter=The Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park, Central Pyrenees |title=Landscapes and Landforms of Spain |series=World Geomorphological Landscapes |date=2014 |pages=165–172 |doi=10.1007/978-94-017-8628-7_14|hdl=10261/108112 |isbn=978-94-017-8627-0 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> The limestone originated from the Cretaceous and Eocene periods. Tectonic uplift has created deep canyons, and, during the Quaternary, repeated glaciations carved cirques and large U-shaped valleys.<ref name = "GR2014"/>

The park was created in 1967 as a natural heritage site without barriers or fences where animals are totally free.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080115110618/http://www.parc-pyrenees.com/anglais/cadre_general_hiking.htm Pyrénées National Park website.]}} Retrieved on February 2, 2008</ref> Devoted to preserving biodiversity and landscapes, as well as studying wildlife and plant species, the park is home to 70 different species of mammals.<ref>Discovering Pyrenees National Park. Official Web site. Retrieved on 2008-02-02 from {{cite web |url=http://www.parc-pyrenees.com/anglais/cadre_general_discovering.htm |title=Welcome to the Pyrenees National Park |accessdate=2008-06-12 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612131425/http://www.parc-pyrenees.com/anglais/cadre_general_discovering.htm |archivedate=2008-06-12 }}.</ref> Threatened species found in the park include the lammergeier, Pyrenean desman, Pyrenean chamois, and capercaillie.<ref = "F11">{{cite journal |last1=Feuillet |first1=Thierry |last2=Sourp |first2=Eric |title=Geomorphological Heritage of the Pyrenees National Park (France): Assessment, Clustering, and Promotion of Geomorphosites |journal=Geoheritage |date=September 2011 |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=151–162 |doi=10.1007/s12371-010-0020-y|bibcode=2011Geohe...3..151F |s2cid=67817610 }}</ref> A small population of bears also inhabit the park. At least 124 plant species have been observed within the national park, including 25 that are endemic to the Pyrenees mountains.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gauthier |first1=Perrine |last2=Foulon |first2=Yoann |last3=Jupille |first3=Olivier |last4=Thompson |first4=John D. |title=Quantifying habitat vulnerability to assess species priorities for conservation management |journal=Biological Conservation |date=February 2013 |volume=158 |pages=321–325 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2012.08.012|bibcode=2013BCons.158..321G }}</ref>

The eastern portion of the national park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997, forming part of the French section of the Pyrénées – Mont Perdu World Heritage Site that straddles the border between France and Spain.<ref name=wcmc>{{cite web | url = http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/mtperdu.html | title = Pyrenees-Mont Perdu | publisher = United Nations Environment Program - World Conservation Monitoring Centre |date=January 2000 | accessdate = 2008-08-12 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080718175546/http://www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/mtperdu.html  |archivedate = 2008-07-18}}</ref><ref name = "unesco"/> The park also borders on the Lacs de Carnau.{{fact|date=April 2014}}

<gallery mode="packed" heights=180px> File:Aspe Parc national Pyrenees.jpg|Pyrénées National Park, here on the foothills of the Aspe Valley, on the border between France and Spain File:WLE - 2018 - Parc national des Pyrenees - Cirque de Gavarnie - 2.jpg|The Pyrénées National Park, Cirque de Gavarnie, Gave de Gavarnie river </gallery>

==See also== * List of national parks of France

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Parc national des Pyrénées|Pyrénées National Park}} * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060305120107/http://www.parc-pyrenees.com/index_english.htm Official site of the Parc national des Pyrénées.]}}

{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Pyrenees National Park}} Category:National parks of France Category:Geography of Hautes-Pyrénées Category:Protected areas of the Pyrenees Category:Geography of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Category:World Heritage Sites in France Category:Protected areas established in 1967 Category:Tourist attractions in Nouvelle-Aquitaine Category:Tourist attractions in Occitania (administrative region) Category:Tourist attractions in Hautes-Pyrénées Category:Tourist attractions in Pyrénées-Atlantiques Category:Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests