Founded in 1954 by Luc Hoffmann, a visionary naturalist with a passion for ornithology, the Tour du Valat has since developed its research activities for the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands with the constant desire of “Better understand wetlands to better manage it.”

Convinced that these rich but highly threatened habitats can only be conserved if human activities and natural heritage are reconciled, the Tour du Valat has been developing research and integrated management programmes for several decades.

Its three-prong approach aims to provide concrete responses for key issues by: generating knowledge and sharing it to strengthen the capacities of those concerned, including users, natural site managers and scientists, influencing the effective management of these environments, and informing public policies.

The Tour du Valat, which is located in the heart of the Camargue, is a private research institute with the legal status of a non-profit foundation that works in the public interest.

The Estate, which includes all the natural habitats representative of the fluviolacustrine Camargue, covers 2649 hectares, 1845 of which are in a regional nature reserve. Beyond its role of conserving biodiversity, it is an ideal site for conducting research, and testing out and developing farming and hunting activities that are compatible with the conservation of this exceptional biodiversity.

The Tour du Valat also houses a library focusing on wetland ecology, which is unique in the Mediterranean region. Every year, numerous researchers, professors, and interns from throughout the Mediterranean Basin come to consult the scientific works and resources in our library.