Discovering the Wonders
of the Vanoise National Park
A vibrant territory to explore and uncover, the Vanoise National Park is an exceptional place to discover mountain wildlife and flora..
The Refuge de Plaisance is located in an exceptional natural site, classified and situated on the edge of the Vanoise National Park's core zone. From the valley, you can observe a variety of species from the terrace, including marmots, ibex, chamois, eagles, bearded vultures, gentians, forget-me-nots, rhododendrons... and so many other beautiful specimens!
Vanoise national park in key figures
- Core zone area: 535 km²
- Department: Savoie
- Marked trails: 400 km
- Highest point in the core zone: 3855 m (La Grande Casse)
- Lowest altitude in the core zone: 1280 m
Identity Card:
Located between the high valleys of Maurienne and Tarentaise, the Vanoise National Park encompasses mountains rising to over 3,000 meters, where numerous glaciers still remain. The park is also interspersed with valleys that lead to wide, easily accessible mountain passes.
Sheltered from oceanic rains by the Pre-Alps and the Belledonne range, the massif enjoys a relatively dry and sunny climate.
The diversity of its rocks (limestones, gypsums, sandstones, quartzites, schists, micaschists, gneiss...) combined with its complex geological structure, wide altitudinal range, and position at the intersection of different climates, contributes to the remarkable geological, floral, and faunal richness of the massif.
Sheltered from oceanic rains by the Pre-Alps and the Belledonne range, the massif enjoys a relatively dry and sunny climate.
The diversity of its rocks (limestones, gypsums, sandstones, quartzites, schists, micaschists, gneiss...) combined with its complex geological structure, wide altitudinal range, and position at the intersection of different climates, contributes to the remarkable geological, floral, and faunal richness of the massif.
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Wildlife
The abundance of wildlife in the Vanoise is undeniable. From large ungulates to birds, insects to amphibians, here's a quick glimpse of some animals inhabiting the park.
During your exploration, you might spot:
- Herbivores: deer, roe deer, chamois, and ibex
- Rodents: such as the mountain hare, which changes coat with the seasons, or marmots, predominantly found in the vast alpine meadows
- Carnivores: like the fox, badger, pine marten, stone marten, and ermine
- Bats: including the common pipistrelle and northern long-eared bat
- 125 bird species, such as the golden eagle, bearded vulture, griffon vulture, peregrine falcon, black grouse, rock partridge, ptarmigan, black woodpecker, and wallcreeper
flora
The Vanoise National Park alone boasts more than 1,700 plant species!
Some are rare and protected, such as the Bohemian snowdrop (Gagea bohemica), northern androsace (Androsace septentrionalis), or swollen calyx gentian (Gentiana utriculosa). Park rangers actively document the flora to improve knowledge of the area's botanical heritage, monitor population changes, and ensure proper protection.
The park's database holds over 30 years of observations. This data is shared with park partners and aids in preliminary studies for development projects. It also contributes to departmental and regional biodiversity observatories and informs conservation priorities.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- Explore BiodiVanoise, the real-time atlas of Vanoise fauna and flora: http://biodiversite.vanoise-parcnational.fr/.
- Discover the Photographic Observatory of Vanoise Landscapes (OPPV) to track the evolution of the park's landscapes, particularly the impact of climate change on glaciers: http://paysages.vanoise-parcnational.fr/
"Here is space. Here is pure air. Here is silence.
The kingdom of untouched dawns and innocent creatures.
Everything you lack in the cities
Is preserved here for your joy.
Free waters: free men.
Here begins the land of freedom,
The freedom to behave well.
No noise. No shouting. No engines. No horns.
Listen to the music of the mountains.
Collect beautiful memories, but do not pick the flowers.
Do not uproot plants—rocks would grow in their place.
It takes many blades of grass to weave a man.
The National Park is the garden of France.
And it is also your personal heritage."
– Samivel, The Commandments of the Vanoise Park, 1963
The Alpine Ibex: Lord of the Plaisance Valley
The Vanoise, along with its Italian neighbor, the Gran Paradiso, is the only massif in the Alps where the ibex has never disappeared. In 1963, the primary mission of France’s first national park was to protect the few dozen ibexes still surviving in Maurienne. It was officially designated a protected species in 1976.
The Return to Champagny-en-Vanoise
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In 1981, the Vanoise National Park decided to bring animals from Maurienne to reintroduce them to Champagny-le-Haut, strengthening a small population established from a few ibexes captured in Switzerland and released in the neighboring commune of Peisey-Nancroix in 1969. This marked the birth and growth of the "Peisey-Champagny" population, which numbered around 750 ibexes in July 2018.
The preserved site of the Plaisance Valley offers a unique opportunity to admire them perched on rocky ledges. In summer, you can see young ibexes, just a few days old, gathered in nurseries under the watchful eyes of females, already running and playing! You might also spot the males with their large horns resting in scree fields or alpine meadows. Another ungulate species that shares these vast spaces with them is the chamois. Avoid disturbing them by getting too close—they are wild animals that need to graze or ruminate in peace!
The preserved site of the Plaisance Valley offers a unique opportunity to admire them perched on rocky ledges. In summer, you can see young ibexes, just a few days old, gathered in nurseries under the watchful eyes of females, already running and playing! You might also spot the males with their large horns resting in scree fields or alpine meadows. Another ungulate species that shares these vast spaces with them is the chamois. Avoid disturbing them by getting too close—they are wild animals that need to graze or ruminate in peace!
A Monitored and Studied Species
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Notre vigie: la marmotte
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Un bouquetin à Plaisance
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Notre vigie: la marmotte
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Un bouquetin à Plaisance
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