Eau Thermale Avène, a proud partner of Terres d'Hérault, a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2026
5 June 2026
The Avène catchment area and its thermal hydrosystem have been recognised as a site of geological interest within the Terres d’Hérault Geopark, designated a “UNESCO Global Geopark”
Avène, 5th June 2026 – The “Terres d’Hérault” region has just been officially designated a UNESCO Global Geopark, in recognition of its exceptional geological wealth and the collective commitment of its stakeholders to the protection and promotion of this heritage.
At the heart of this 2,046 km² area, comprising 58 remarkable geosites, lies the Avène catchment area, the place where Avène thermal spring water springs forth. This catchment area and its thermal hydrosystem are now recognised as a site of interest within the Terres d’Hérault Geopark. This decision reinforces the efforts of the API’A (Association pour la préservation de l’impluvium des eaux d’Avène) to promote understanding, preservation and enhancement of this exceptional area, which is now officially recognised.
For over 50 years, Eau Thermale Avène brand has made understanding and preserving water resources one of its priorities. It has developed a robust scientific programme led by the Water Laboratory, a true multidisciplinary center of expertise dedicated to Avène thermal spring water: scientific and geological studies, mineral and microbiological analysis of the water, and pharmacological and clinical research.
Today, more than 150 clinical studies attest to the uniqueness and potency of this water, which treats and improves the daily lives of thousands of patients and spa guests. Aware of its responsibility, the Avène brand coordinates all stakeholders in the region to work towards protecting the catchment area and this unique heritage. It has thus invested over €10 million* over the last 10 years to preserve this area, those who live there, as well as the patients and spa guests who benefit every day from the unique properties of Avène thermal spring water.
A rare thermal hydrosystem within the Global Geoparks network
In the Terres d’Hérault Geopark, Avène thermal water occupies a unique place. During its long journey through the geological strata, the water heats up, becoming enriched with specific minerals and trace elements, as well as a unique microflora that gives rise to a distinctive biological signature. This dual signature—mineral and biological—endows the thermal spring water with medicinal properties.
In Avène, the water’s properties have been recognised since 1874 by a decree of public interest from the National Academy of Medicine, for their soothing, anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory properties.
The catchment area and the thermal hydrosystem constitute a rare geosite: there are fewer than ten Geoparks in the world where a thermal hydrosystem is present. The inclusion of the Avène catchment area as a site of interest within the UNESCO Global Geopark Terres d’Hérault thus recognises a unique thermal hydrosystem, at the interface of geology, hydrogeology and health.
This thermal heritage enables us to treat 2,000 spa guests every year: thermal treatments and the consumption of thermal water as part of a spa regimen in a preserved environment reflect a holistic approach to medical care.
In line with API’A’s commitments
The Geopark project leaders approached API’A to integrate the Avène catchment area into the network of sites of geological interest. This initiative is part of a vision shared with Laboratoires Pierre Fabre and all the stakeholders within the association who are already active in the region across several complementary areas:
1. Preservation of the catchment area: API’A’s central role in the protection and management of this watershed;
2. Knowledge and education regarding water and the local area: initiatives carried out in particular through the Water Laboratory in Avène;
3. Promotion of the resource: thermal baths, medical uses and corporate communications
4. Resource protection strategy: a clear commitment to the long-term preservation of the environment and water resources;
This accreditation places the Avène catchment within an internationally recognised territorial and scientific framework, in direct alignment with our commitments: protection of water resources, local roots, and the development of educational and scientific initiatives centred on the Avène catchment. We are proud to contribute, alongside the Hérault Department and all our partners, to the momentum of the Terres d’Hérault Geopark. This recognition compels us to continue our efforts to maintain the thermal water’s original purity whilst promoting this magnificent region to as many people as possible.
The award of the UNESCO Global Geoparks label today marks the culmination of a collective effort, led by the Department in collaboration with local elected representatives, residents and all local stakeholders, who have embraced this project and brought it to life. This international recognition of the geological significance of our region, which traces a unique history spanning thousands of years, is an essential tool for furthering this initiative, enabling us to share the riches of our long history with an ever-growing audience.
About the UNESCO Global Geopark “Terres d’Hérault”
The Terres d’Hérault Geopark is a project that originated in the region, initially spearheaded by the association Demain la Terre!, which outlined its framework, before being taken over by the Hérault Department from 2022. As the lead body for regional development, the Department steered the UNESCO application in collaboration with local elected representatives, scientific stakeholders and regional partners, until the designation was officially awarded in April 2026. The UNESCO Global Geopark Terres d'Hérault has been recognised by UNESCO for its commitment to the protection and promotion of a geological heritage of international significance, dedicated to local sustainable development. Its missions are based on five pillars: project coordination, which brings together 62 geopartners working on the various development strands of the initiative; the conservation of geological, natural and cultural heritage; education and outreach in geosciences, geopark culture and heritage discovery, aimed at both the general public and schoolchildren; sustainable regional development, by supporting responsible tourism and economic initiatives rooted in the region’s identity; and communication, to promote the initiative and raise awareness of the actions undertaken by the region.
In this region, rich in diversity, geology serves as the common thread linking the underlying geological structure with the natural, cultural and intangible heritage, reflecting the evolution of human societies in a landscape shaped by geology for over 540 million years and inhabited by people for millennia. The UNESCO Global Geopark Terres d'Hérault, through its network of geopartners, carries out outreach activities for all audiences – schoolchildren, residents and visitors – helps to bridge the gap between science and society in partnership with scientific research bodies, and contributes to exchanges within the Global Geoparks Network (GGN), which brings together nearly 241 territories in 51 countries. Further information: www.geoparc-terres-herault.fr
About API’A
API’A, (Association pour la préservation de l’impluvium des eaux d’Avène) is a non-profit organisation established on 22 March 2021. Its purpose is to coordinate all local initiatives with a view to establishing and maintaining an environmental policy for the protection of the spring, the thermal spring water and the waters of Avène.
To this end, it will also aim to mobilise local stakeholders around coherent actions addressing local environmental challenges and their evolution, in particular promoting a resilient forest, supporting agriculture that respects natural resources, and enhancing/protecting the local natural heritage and biodiversity. Local stakeholders will participate in these actions on a voluntary basis.
ABOUT THE aboratoires Pierre Fabre
Press Contacts:
Pierre Fabre : Caroline PERDRIX
caroline.perdrix@pierre-fabre.com
06 75 22 81 63
Département de l’Hérault – Géoparc Terres d’Hérault : Loïc DUCARME,
coordinateur du Géoparc,
lducarme@herault.fr, loic.ducarme@terres-d-hérault.fr