parc national des calanques

The Calanques National Park is located in southern France, and was established on 18 April, 2012. It extends over 520 km2 (201 sq mi), of which 85 km2 (33 sq mi) is land, while the remaining part is marine area. The park stretches across seven communes, including Marseille, Cassis and La Ciotat. It is the only European national park that is continental, marine and peri-urban.

Known for its outstanding scenery, comprising white cliffs plunging into the sea set against small isolated creeks, the Calanques National Park is equally remarkable for its biodiversity. On land as at sea, the site has numerous protected animal species including Bonelli's eagle, the grouper, the brown meagre and even some species of dolphins and marine turtles.

The aim of the national park is to protect the fauna and flora as well as the natural heritage. This presents a familiar problem: how to reconcile the protection of nature and human activities. Each year 1.5 to 2 million people visit the Calanques National Park.