It is a unique territory, endowed with an exceptional natural heritage.

The Pyrenees National Park is made up of two zones :

- The central zone (45 705 hectars) is almost uninhabited and is subject to reinforced protection.
It is in this area that the most spectacular landscapes are to be seen.

- The peripheral area is a kind of pre-park on the edge of the central zone. It has 86 villages and 40 000 inhabitants..
Help towards local development is the National Park's policy in this area.

- Preserving biodiversity, landscapes and sites.
- Welcoming visitors and showing them how to respect and make the most of this heritage.
- Reconciling environmental protection and economic activities.
- Contributing to the longlasting development of the valleys.

In order to ensure efficient protection it is essential to know the area well.
A number of studies are led on the terrain by the National Park wardens :
- Inventories of animal and plant species, and observation of their habits and evolution.
- Analyses of their geographical distribution.
- Climatic studies.
Such activities enable the Pyrenees National Park to develop appropriate management of the environment.