Naturalist training courses in France

Do you love walking in the mountains or by the sea, but can't put a name to the different species you come across? Have you ever thought of taking a naturalist training course? There are courses open to beginners as well as the experienced, to develop basic skills in the main naturalist fields such as ornithology, botany and entomology.
In the courses proposed below, cross-disciplinary naturalist skills are also developed: naturalist note-taking; use of naturalist databases; inventory techniques...
Our partner also offers a system of certifications as well as complete courses for future professional naturalists. All training courses here

Initiation to naturalist practice in the Ecrins park in the Alps in spring

This naturalist course offers an introduction to botany, ornithology and entomology. You can progress at your own pace, accompanied by an instructor. The aim is to enable novices to build up a solid knowledge of all aspects of nature. You are supervised by 2 instructors and spend 5 days in magnificent landscapes. The site is close to the town of Gap. Accommodation in a gîte

• Price: €923 / €313.82 after tax * deduction

Progress in your naturalist activities in the Parc des Ecrins in summer

Improve your naturalist skills during the flowering season! June in the mountains sees an explosion of biodiversity! This course takes place in the southern Alps, in the Champsaur valley on the edge of the Ecrins National Park. This is one of France's richest regions for plant and animal species! You'll explore the foothills and valleys of the Dévoluy and Ecrins massifs, with a foray further south into more Mediterranean-influenced environments. Lodging in gîtes.

• Price: €923 / €313.82 after tax * deduction

Special wildlife and predators in the Ecrins Park in autumn

Improve your naturalist skills, with a special focus on large fauna and predators. This course is also organized in the Parc des Ecrins. Its aim is to study the great fauna and predators: stag bellowing, mountain ungulates, wolves and lynxes. It enables us to study the behavior of wild animals and analyze the various tracks they leave behind. You will also be introduced to the study of nocturnal birds of prey.

• Price: €923 / €313.82 after tax deductions. *

Naturalist training on Brittany's Pink Granite Coast

This course takes place on the Pink Granite coast in northern Brittany, at the foot of the 7 Islands nature reserve. This nature reserve boasts exceptional biodiversity, with colonies of seabirds that are unique in France. The nature of the site means that the course focuses not only on ornithology, but also on the specific fauna and flora of the seashore: study of algae, crustaceans, molluscs, etc. You'll be out in the field, on foot, in the 7 Islands National Nature Reserve, but also on a sailing boat at Sillon de Talbert. This course is designed for anyone wishing to acquire or reinforce all the skills of a field naturalist. You'll study colonies of Northern Gannet, Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill and other pelagic birds.
Accommodation in a gîte.

• Price: €967 / €378.28 after tax * deduction

Practical naturalist training in the Camargue

Spring training session: This training session takes place in the "Golden Triangle of Biodiversity" (Camargue - Crau - Alpilles), home to a wealth of flora and fauna. This naturalist training course, in the heart of spring, takes place at an ideal time for training in ornithology, botany, entomology and herpetology.
Field outings take place in specific natural environments rich in biodiversity: Mediterranean lagoons, Alpilles garrigues, Crau steppes, dunes, Camargue rice paddies. This course is designed for anyone wishing to acquire or reinforce all the skills of a field naturalist.

Autumn session: The autumn session (September 23 to 27, 2024) takes place at an excellent time for naturalist activities in the Mediterranean region, whether for ornithology (at the height of bird migration), entomology or botany (autumn blooms).
Accommodation in gîtes for both sessions.

• Price: €923 / €313.82 after tax * deduction

Naturalist training in the Pyrenees: special birds of prey

Set off to the heart of the Basque Country mountains, in the Pyrenees, to observe migratory birds. This course takes place on the border between the Basque Country and Béarn, in the commune of Larrau in the Pyrénées Atlantiques. You'll be close to the famous Col d'Organbidexka, one of Europe's most famous bird migration observation sites.
Any bird enthusiast will tell you that September is the month to be in Iraty. The very formation of the valleys creates a funnel where all the birds of prey that migrate south in search of their wintering grounds pass through. You'll be on a privileged site to observe this incredible migratory journey at close quarters. The course focuses on identifying birds of prey in flight.

• Price: €923 / €313.82 after tax * deduction

The cycle of 9 training courses for professional retraining

Are you looking for a career change and want to work in the environmental field? We advise you to follow the cycle of 9 naturalist training courses. You can take all the courses in one year, or spread out over 3 years. The courses are based in the Alps (Parc National des Écrins), Camargue (the famous Golden Triangle of Biodiversity: Camargue-Crau-Alpilles), the Pyrenees (Iraty, Pays Basque) and Brittany (côte de granit rose, 7 îles).

• Price: €6,371.25 / €2,166.2 after tax deduction*.

Certificate of completion

For all training courses, you will receive a document certifying your participation in the naturalist training course you have attended. It will mention the title and date of the course, as well as the main naturalist skills developed.

Certification exam

Our partner is offering those who wish to do so, the opportunity to take a certification exam for naturalist skills in the fields of ornithology, botany and entomology. This certification, by level and by naturalist discipline, will lead to the award of a "certificate of naturalist skills" as well as an "Open Badge" detailing the associated bodies of knowledge and skills. These certificates will enable you to attest to your naturalist knowledge and technical skills acquired during these training courses.

Tax deductible *

The partner NGO is recognized for the quality, usefulness, solidarity and educational nature of its stays, which enable their participants to advance a genuine project dedicated to science and the resolution of sustainable development objectives, through practical experience. So, in line with the Congés Solidaires tax system, you don't buy a holiday, you make a donation to the NGO, which can then set up the projects, and the participants commit to them as volunteers. The financial contribution to the NGO is therefore tax-deductible in all countries of the European Economic Area (European Union, Switzerland... in France, for example, up to 66%).

NGO Partner

The partner NGO has Special Consultative Status with the UN (ECOSOC) and is a member of the AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition. Specializing in scientific trips, the NGO develops participatory research and believes that education is the driving force behind the Sustainable Development Goals. 

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