Marshes and Tides between the Loire and the Vilaine Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2025, in France. The Marshes and Tides between the Loire and the Vilaine Biosphere Reserve, located between the Loire and Vilaine rivers on France’s Atlantic coast, is a unique territory where freshwater marshes, peatlands, bocage landscapes, salt marshes, coastal dunes, estuaries, and marine ecosystems interconnect. This rich mosaic of habitats supports exceptional biodiversity, including numerous protected species, while also sustaining traditional human activities such as livestock grazing, fishing, salt production, reed harvesting, and tourism. Shaped over centuries by the interplay between people and water, the reserve embodies a living heritage where natural and cultural values are deeply intertwined. Today, it aims to reconcile biodiversity conservation with sustainable economic development, particularly in the face of climate change, urbanization, and ecological pressures, making it a model territory for balance between human activities and the preservation of natural ecosystems.