Faq

The goal of a UNESCO Global Geopark is to better understand the history of the Earth and the relationships that humans have forged with their natural environment, in order to better understand the issues that arise today in terms of preserving ecosystems, resources, and resilience to natural hazards.

Several conditions must be met:

• To be a single, unified geographical area
• Possessing sites and landscapes of international geological interest
• It also possesses a remarkable natural and cultural heritage
• To develop activities to promote and enhance its heritage among school children, residents and visitors

The perimeter of the La Hague Geopark includes the entire municipality of La Hague.

The La Hague Geopark is not yet officially designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark. It is a Geopark aspiring to UNESCO Global Geopark status and will submit its application for designation soon.

This is a label awarded by the Minister for the Environment to a listed site of high renown and high visitor numbers. The awarding of the label is contingent upon the implementation of a project for the preservation, management, and enhancement of the site, adhering to the principles of sustainable development. This project is based on two main pillars:

• managing visitor numbers
• landscape preservation

The area covered by the label may include municipalities other than those encompassing the listed site, provided they participate in the project. This label is awarded, upon request, to a local authority, a public institution, a joint association, or a management body that includes, in particular, the local authorities concerned.

Territories eligible for a Grand Site Operation (OGS) must meet the following four prerequisites:

• Essentially, it is a site classified under articles L. 341-1 et seq. of the Environmental Code (formerly the law of May 2, 1930)
• To be a space of national interest means a remarkable, symbolic landscape or one of widely recognized and socially enshrined cultural significance
• To experience periods of high visitor numbers, to the point of losing the aesthetic, natural or cultural qualities that are at the origin of its reputation;
• To be the subject of a commitment to rehabilitation and long-term management

La Hague meets all these conditions. Its coastal fringe in particular has been classified since 1992, which means that its preservation has been recognized by the Ministry of the Environment as being in the general interest of the Nation.

The entire municipality of La Hague is now involved in the Grand Site de France project, as is the neighboring municipality of Héauville, which shares the vast dune system with La Hague. Siouville-Hague also wishes to join the initiative.

The Grands Sites de France (Great Sites of France) undertake long-term territorial projects based on a strategic, comprehensive, and collaborative vision. Managing visitor numbers thus utilizes various levers, from mobility options to the tourism offerings themselves, the experiences provided, destination marketing, and the implementation of infrastructure. These projects enable the development of, and are subsequently supported by, robust governance to guarantee the long-term sustainable management of, the territory.

Both the Grands Sites and the Geoparks work either through direct actions (renaturation, restoration, visitor management, etc.) or indirect actions (awareness-raising, education, etc.) to preserve what initially distinguishes them: the value of their natural heritage. This objective is at the heart of their concerns and their raison d'être.

Nature is a common good. Giving access to nature is also a way to raise awareness of its protection, but to preserve this right, it is also necessary to respect the rules of use that apply to all visitors.

These projects do not impose any additional constraints. They are more a matter of good management tools.