View source for Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura

{{Infobox protected area
| name            = Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura
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| photo           = CrêtdeLaNeige.jpeg
| photo_caption   = The [[Crêt de la Neige]] with [[Le Reculet]] in the background
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| map             = France
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| map_caption     = Location in France
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| location        = [[Jura Mountains]], [[Jura (department)|Jura]], [[Doubs]] and [[Ain]], France
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| coordinates     = {{coord|46|24|N|5|57|E|type:mountain_region:FR|display=inline,title}}
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| area_km2        = 1640.65
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| authorized      = 
| created         = 
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| established     = April 21, 1986 <br>August 17, 1998, Révision
| named_for       = 
| visitation_num  = 71,000 population
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| governing_body  = Fédération des parcs naturels régionaux de France
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| website         = {{URL|http://www.parc-haut-jura.fr/index_uk.php}}
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'''Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura''' ('''Jura Mountains Regional Natural Park''') is a [[Regional natural parks of France|French regional natural park]] located in the southwest of the [[Jura Mountains|Jura Mountain Range]] in [[France]], on the French-Swiss border.

== Park description ==

The park was created February 10, 1986, and at that time comprised 37 towns.  As of 2005, that count is now 113 towns, with a total population of 71,000 inhabitants.  The park covers an area of 165,000 hectares across three [[Departments of France|French departments]]: [[Ain]], [[Doubs]] and [[Jura (department)|Jura]].

Entry towns (''ville-portes'') situated at the park boundaries are not actually part of the park themselves, but due to their geographic locations are important points of entry into the park. These towns are [[Divonne-les-Bains]], [[Gex, Ain|Gex]], [[Bellegarde-sur-Valserine]], [[Champagnole]], and the Community of Communes of [[Oyonnax]] (the latter two not having territory within the park's perimeter).

==History==
The park was established in 1986. Its aim was to preserve the mountainous landscapes and [[biodiversity]] of the [[wilderness]] in part of the economic development of the environment. The park currently covers an area of 170,000 hectares. 

The nature park was the inspiration of Pokémon Village, a legendary village hideout in the [[Pokémon]] franchise.

== Park administration ==

The park is managed by a bureau composed of a president, nine vice presidents, and twelve members.  It is not managed according to geographic entities but rather according to five thematic ones:
* helping to preserve the natural environment and the [[biotope]]s through sustainable development;
* preservation of the rural aspect of the park through support for hand-crafted artistic and agricultural activities, preservation of the forestry's [[cultural heritage]] and incentives for using the timber for construction;
* improvement and modernization of industrial and traditional hand-crafted activities in order to maintain them in the park;
* promotion of summer and winter tourist activities within the park and promotion of the image of the Jura Mountains;
* cooperation and coordination between the park's caretakers and its inhabitants towards the above objectives.

==Member communes and associated communes==

There are currently 105 towns, or communes, that are members of the regional park, of which 25 are in [[Ain]], 12 are in [[Doubs]] and 67 are in the [[Jura (department)|Department of Jura]].

There are also 5 associated communes (listed below in italics), one in Doubs and 4 in Jura.

The 4 communes that remain in the total count are three entry towns that have part of the town in the park ([[Divonne-les-Bains]], [[Gex, Ain|Gex]] and [[Bellegarde-sur-Valserine]], and the town of [[Champagnole]], which is also an entry town, but is entirely outside of the park.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Department of Ain
! width="50%" | Cantons <br>
! width="50%" | Communes that are members or are ''associated'' (in italics)
|-
| The 5 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Bellegarde-sur-Valserine]]
| [[Bellegarde-sur-Valserine]], [[Champfromier]], [[Giron, France|Giron]], [[Montanges]], [[Saint-Germain-de-Joux]]
|-
| The 8 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Collonges]] 
| [[Chézery-Forens]], [[Collonges, Ain|Collonges]], [[Confort]], [[Farges]], [[Léaz]], [[Péron, Ain|Péron]], [[Pougny, Ain|Pougny]], [[Saint-Jean-de-Gonville]]
|-
| The 2 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Ferney-Voltaire]] 
| [[Sergy, Ain|Sergy]], [[Thoiry, Ain|Thoiry]]
|-
| The 8 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Gex]]
| [[Crozet, Ain|Crozet]], [[Divonne-les-Bains]], [[Échenevex]], [[Gex, Ain|Gex]], [[Grilly]], [[Lélex]], [[Mijoux]], [[Vesancy]]
|-
| The 2 communes of the <br> [[Canton d'Oyonnax-Nord]] 
| [[Belleydoux]], [[Dortan]]
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Department of Doubs
! width="50%" | Cantons <br>
! width="50%" | Communes that are members or are ''associated'' (in italics)
|-
| The 13 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Mouthe]] 
| ''[[Brey-et-Maison-du-Bois]]'', [[Chapelle-des-Bois]], [[Châtelblanc]], [[Chaux-Neuve]], [[Gellin]], [[Le Crouzet]], [[Les Pontets]], [[Les Villedieu]], [[Mouthe]], [[Petite-Chaux]], [[Reculfoz]], [[Rondefontaine]], [[Sarrageois]]
|}

[[File:Cantons du PNR du Haut-Jura.png|thumb|Member [[Cantons of France|cantons]] and [[Communes of France|communes]] of the parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura]]

{| class="wikitable"
|+  Department of Jura
! width="50%" | Cantons <br>
! width="50%" | Communes that are members or are ''associated'' (in italics)
|-
| The 11 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Les Bouchoux]]
| [[Bellecombe]], [[Choux]], [[Coiserette]], [[Coyrière]], [[La Pesse]], [[Larrivoire]], [[Les Bouchoux]], [[Les Moussières]], [[Rogna]], [[Viry, Jura|Viry]], [[Vulvoz]]
|-
| The 16 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Moirans-en-Montagne]] 
| [[Chancia]], [[Charchilla]], [[Châtel-de-Joux]], [[Coyron]], [[Crenans]], [[Étival-les-Ronchaux]], [[Jeurre]], [[Lect, Jura|Lect]], [[Les Crozets]], ''[[Maisod]]'', [[Martigna]], [[Meussia]], [[Moirans-en-Montagne]], [[Montcusel]], [[Pratz, Jura|Pratz]], [[Villards-d'Héria]]
|-
| The 9 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Morez]] 
| [[Bellefontaine, Jura|Bellefontaine]], [[Bois-d'Amont]], [[La Mouille]], [[Les Rousses]], [[Lézat]], [[Longchaumois]], [[Morbier]], [[Morez]], [[Prémanon]], [[Tancua]] (rattaché à Morez)
|-
| The 5 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Planches-en-Montagne]] 
| ''[[Chaux-des-Crotenay]]'', ''[[Entre-deux-Monts]]'', [[Foncine-le-Bas]], [[Foncine-le-Haut]], ''[[Les Planches-en-Montagne]]''
|-
| The 19 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Saint-Claude, Jura|Canton of Saint-Claude]] 
| [[Avignon-lès-Saint-Claude]], [[Chassal]], [[Cuttura]], [[La Rixouse]], [[Lajoux, Jura, France|Lajoux]], [[Lamoura]], [[Lavancia-Epercy]], [[Lavans-lès-Saint-Claude]], [[Les Molunes]], [[Leschères]], [[Molinges]], [[Ponthoux]], [[Ravilloles]], [[Saint-Claude, Jura|Saint-Claude]], [[Saint-Lupicin]], [[Septmoncel]], [[Vaux-lès-Saint-Claude]], [[Villard-Saint-Sauveur]], [[Villard-sur-Bienne]]
|-
| The 11 communes of the <br> [[Canton of Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux]] 
| [[Château-des-Prés]], [[Chaux-des-Prés]], [[Fort-du-Plasne]], [[Grande-Rivière, Jura|Grande-Rivière]], [[La Chaumusse]], [[La Chaux-du-Dombief]], [[Lac-des-Rouges-Truites]], [[Les Piards]], [[Prénovel]], [[Saint-Laurent-en-Grandvaux]], [[Saint-Pierre, Jura|Saint-Pierre]]
|}

==Park photo gallery==

<gallery>
File: Jura 8 by andy205.jpg| Le Colomby de Gex
File: CrêtdeLaNeige.jpeg|Le Crêt de la Neige 
File: Mont-Fier.jpg|Le Mont-Fier 
File: St10.JPG |Saint-Claude 
File: Morez-depuis-Crottes.jpg |[[Morez]]
File:Pont des Pierres 01.jpg|Pont des Pierres
File:Labergement-Sainte-Marie, lacs de Remoray et de Saint-Point vus du belvédère (2) 2015-04-21.jpg|Lake Remoray
File: Lac-Rousses2.JPG|Le lac des Rousses
</gallery>
<gallery>
File:Avant la transhumance - img 40879.jpg|Wild horses ([[Konik]])
File:Cascade du hérrissons (Jura) - panoramio.jpg|Mountain streams
File:Cascades du Hérisson (6045046687).jpg|Cascades
File:Gorges Langouette.jpg|Gorges
</gallery>

== See also ==

* [[Saine (river)]]
* [[Ain (river)]]

==Publications==

The park is featured in numerous publications such as guidebooks, maps, photographic portfolios, and educational and scientific documents.  The content of these publications is diverse and can be divided into 7 categories:
* Craft industry, folk know-how, housing
* Coffee table books
* Cultural heritage collections
* The environment
* Games and education
* Photographic portfolios
* Hiking and discovery

==External links==
{{Commons category|Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura|Jura Mountains Regional Natural Park}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090111105941/http://www.parc-haut-jura.fr/index_uk.php Parc naturel régional du Haut-Jura official site]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haut-Jura}}
[[Category:Regional natural parks of France]]
[[Category:Geography of Jura (department)]]
[[Category:Geography of Doubs]]
[[Category:Geography of Ain]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Jura (department)]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Doubs]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Ain]]