The Cévennes National Park is a vast protected territory located in the southern part of the Massif Central, spanning the departments of Lozère, Gard, and, to a lesser extent, Ardèche. Established in 1970, it is one of France’s ten national parks and stands out for being inhabited, shaped by a millennia-old human presence, and marked by a unique harmony between nature and rural life. It covers nearly 935 km² in its core area and over 3,800 km² in its buffer zone, making it one of the largest and most diverse parks in Western Europe.

The park is organized around several major geographical entities: the Mont Lozère, a vast granite plateau with rounded forms where the sources of the Tarn and Lot rivers originate; the Mont Aigoual, with its deep forests and wind-swept ridgelines; the schistous Cévennes, with narrow valleys and steep slopes covered in chestnut groves; and the limestone causses, arid plateaus cut by spectacular gorges such as those of the Tarn, Jonte, and Dourbie. This topographic diversity creates a mosaic of landscapes, blending dense forests, open moors, high pastures, terraced fields, perched villages, and near-inaccessible wilderness.

Climatically, the park sits at the confluence of continental, Atlantic, and Mediterranean influences, fostering an exceptional biodiversity. Over 2,400 plant species are recorded here, including several endemic or relict varieties, along with around 2,500 animal species. Iconic wildlife includes the cinereous vulture, bearded vulture, golden eagle, the grey wolf—naturally returned since the 1990s—as well as red deer, Eurasian beavers, and otters. The park is also a hotspot for entomology, hosting a remarkable array of butterflies, dragonflies, and beetles.

But the Cévennes National Park is most notable for the way human life is integrated into its conservation model. Unlike other French national parks, it is the only one to include inhabited villages within its core zone, offering a unique example of coexistence between human activity and environmental preservation. Agriculture is omnipresent, with extensive pastures, chestnut orchards, terraced crops, and herds of sheep, goats, and cattle. These traditional practices, respectful of ecological balance, help maintain biodiversity tied to pastoralism and shape the landscape.

The built heritage is also rich and distinctive: Cévenol farmhouses with slate roofs, chestnut drying huts (clèdes), water mills, stone bridges, hillside villages, and Protestant temples reflect centuries of mountain life and cultural identity. The Cévennes were a stronghold of the Camisard revolt in the early 18th century—a Protestant resistance against Catholic royal authority, deeply rooted in the region's memory.

The park is also renowned for its exceptional night skies. In 2018, it was designated an International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR), becoming the largest protected area against light pollution in Europe. This draws stargazers and nature lovers to sites like Mont Aigoual, the causses, and the observatory at Puechs.

Outdoor activities abound: over 5,000 km of marked trails allow for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Legendary routes such as the GR70 – the Stevenson Trail, the GR7, and the Mont Lozère Circuit traverse spectacular scenery and timeless villages. Visitors can also enjoy canyoning, kayaking, spelunking, rock climbing, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing on the snowy Lozère heights in winter.

The Cévennes National Park works closely with residents, local authorities, and farmers through a management charter that guides sustainable development. This charter supports the local economy, promotes regional products (honey, chestnuts, cheese, cured meats, medicinal herbs), fosters responsible tourism, and preserves traditional know-how.

In 2011, UNESCO recognized much of the Cévennes territory as a World Heritage Site under the category of Mediterranean agro-pastoral cultural landscapes, honoring the region’s ability to maintain a centuries-old balance between human life and nature.

The Cévennes National Park is a rare and vibrant territory where wilderness and humanity are interwoven in a slow, demanding, and profoundly poetic dance. It is a land of contrasts and resilience, of highlands and light, of memory and future.