Port-Cros National Park

About

Port-Cros National Park is a French national park located in the Mediterranean Sea, in the coastal archipelago of the islands of Hyères (Var Department). It includes much of the island of Porquerolles, the islands of Port-Cros and Bagaud, the Gabinière islet and the Rascas rock, as well as the surrounding waters of 1,700 ha land and 2,900 ha sea. Bagaud Island and the Gabinière islet are integral reserves, which are forbidden access.

Around this central area (or park core) is defined a peripheral area or potential accession area (PAA) of 23 000 ha with the coastline and waters of 11 communes, from La Garde to Ramatuelle and an adjacent maritime area of 123 000 ha. The permanent population is 350 in the heart of the National Park (the islands of Port-Cros and Porquerolles), mainly in Porquerolles, and 136,000 in the potential membership area. The park, created on December 14, 1963, was extended to a large part of Porquerolles on May 4, 2012.

In 2023, like other places that may require regulation of seasonal flows, the national park was identified as a victim of the phenomenon of overtourism.