Launched at the beginning of May, the Rivières Sauvages label (wild rivers label) is a consequence of creation of the Europe-wide 2010 Wild Rivers Preservation Fund. Its aim is to value our territories and to preserve the natural heritage of water. With only around 5% of untouched rivers on its territory, France intends to protect those areas of biodiversity and sustainable tourism. Eight criteria have been established to choose the rivers that could be qualified as "rivers close to their natural state", and thus launch the label. Of course, the water quality and the natural flow of the river are essential, but other aspects are taken into account, like the determination of local officials and inhabitants of the region to preserve their environment. Some compromise had to be made though, because European and French territories are not as wild as in the Far North. Consequently, a river can receive the "wild" label if its global functionning has not been altered by men, even if there are signs of human presence on the river. For intance, the Valserine river, in the Jura region, is considered as wild even though there is a small old hydroelectric power plant.

Learn more about the Rivières Sauvages label (in French).

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