The Comminges Barousse Pyrénées Regional Nature Park covers a remarkable area in the heart of the central Pyrenees, covering 170,000 hectares spread over 195 communes and 5 communities of communes: Cagire Garonne Salat, Pyrénées Haut Comminges, Cœur et côteaux du Comminges, Neste-Barousse and Cœur de Garonne. This cross-border area between the Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées stretches between the Garonne and Neste valleys. This mosaic of landscapes offers a unique transition between the hillsides of Gascony and the high peaks of the Pyrenees, with altitudes ranging from 200 metres on the plains to over 3,000 metres at the top of the border ridges.
Visitors to the region will discover a striking geographical diversity, spread out over several different levels: gently undulating molasse hillsides planted with vines and orchards, steep-sided glacial valleys sculpted by torrents, karstic plateaux dotted with chasms and resurgences, and finally the high cirques where glacial lakes and eternal snowfields persist. This complex geology, inherited from Alpine folding and quaternary glaciations, has created landscapes of striking beauty, where pastoral areas, ancient forests and high mountain pastures blend harmoniously, testifying to the age-old adaptation between man and the mountain.
The park is home to a remarkable diversity of flora and fauna, the result of a variety of altitudes and natural environments. Emblematic species such as the brown bear, capercaillie and golden eagle live alongside a host of other animals in carefully preserved habitats. Beech and fir forests, high-altitude meadows, wetlands and limestone grasslands are all fragile ecosystems that the park is committed to protecting. This biological wealth makes the area a veritable natural laboratory, where leading conservation and scientific research programmes are being developed.
In addition to its natural riches, the park boasts an exceptional cultural heritage forged by centuries of history. Character villages, Romanesque churches, medieval bastides and châteaux bear witness to a rich and eventful past. Local traditions, arts and crafts, gastronomy and traditional skills are still alive and well, thanks to the commitment of the area’s inhabitants and craftspeople. This cultural dimension is also expressed through the traditional festivals, local markets and local produce for which this authentic Pyrenean region is renowned.
The Comminges Barousse Pyrénées Regional Nature Park is developing an innovative vision of sustainable development, reconciling environmental conservation with local economic dynamism. Through environmental education programmes, support for environmentally-friendly farming activities and the promotion of responsible tourism, the park supports local players in their initiatives. This participatory approach aims to maintain the vitality of rural areas while preserving ecological balances, thus offering a harmonious development model for future generations.
