Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park, France

© Michel Rauch/Minden Picture

Where is this wintry road?

This wintry, wooded scene comes from the Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park in north-east France, one of the country’s most pristine examples of natural beauty. The park, established in 1976, is over 322,000 acres in size, 65% of which is covered in forest, including the species of larch tree seen here. These larches are native to many of the mountains of central Europe, including the Alps, Carpathians and the Pyrenees.

Even though this rural park is dotted with villages, it was named by Unesco as one of its World Biosphere Reserves because so much of its natural beauty remains. Unesco studies these reserves to trace the interaction between social systems and the natural world. The Northern Vosges includes a wide array of forests and wetlands, fauna and flora but also contains ruined fortresses, farmland and five structures left over from France’s infamous WWII-era Maginot Line of fortifications. With its many hiking trails, the Northern Vosges region is a favourite for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers.