5.6.1 Parc Naturel Régional du Golfe du Morbihan: Site description

Physical environment

The Golfe du Morbihan is famous for its large richness of biodiversity, natural and cultural heritage, with various habitats (mudflats, rocky foreshores, seagrass beds, etc.) and landscape.

The Golfe du Morbihan is located in south Brittany, in the Morbihan Department. The boundary of the case study site is the Parc Naturel Régional du Golfe du Morbihan. The area includes 30 municipalities and an associated marine area of 125 km2. This marine area is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow channel.  The population is about 166 000 inhabitants and it has multiplied by a factor of eight in the last forty years. Many professional and leisure activities coexist and include shellfish farming, fishing, tourism, sailing etc. The pressure for living-space for people and space for commercial activity impacts on the natural environment, both terrestrial and marine.

Figure: Perimeter of the Regional Natural Park of the Gulf du Morbihan