ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the history of national parks in France and discusses a pressing case relating to Vanoise National Park in French Northern Alps. The following analysis touches on the characteristics of charters, the stakeholders involved, the outcome of the recent charter renegotiation and the dilemma of the rejection in contrast to the fact that other national parks usually witness an approval rate of 75–100 per cent by the local districts involved. To what extent have local villages no longer accepted the regulations and is the local-level decision putting a break on national parks approval? Is a economic gain causing a threat to the existence of national parks and what kinds of solutions are able to reunite the stakeholders for approving a new national park charter?
