The most beautiful natural sites to discover Russia

If there's one place that sums up the beauty of Olkhon Island, it's here. You will marvel at the view of Lake Baikal from the top of the sharp cliffs. In summer it is a refuge for butterflies. In the sea you may see seals playing leapfrog. At the end of the peak, a shamanistic totem pole is erected like a lighthouse. Don't forget to leave an offering there otherwise the revenge of the shamanic gods can be terrible: breakdown, flat tire... And given the state of the road, a 4x4 is indispensable.

Opened in 2005, this ethnographic complex located outside the city is built in homage to the explorers of the Yakutia. Surrounded by forests, meadows, mountains and small lakes, this natural site offers reconstructions of ancient wooden houses with a variety of small museums, a hotel and a yakoute kitchen restaurant. Also on the complex is a centre for the rearing of huskies, which offers sorties dog dogs in winter, a panoramic terrace offering views over the entire town of Yakutsk and the "Permafrost Kingdom" museum inside a hill where everything is made of ice.

Mount Chersky is a natural panoramic terrace that offers a breathtaking view of the source of the Angara River, the Baikal port and, on a clear day, you can even see the Khamar-Daban mountain range, whose peaks can reach over 2,000 meters in altitude. The mountain is named after the famous explorer of Lake Baikal, geologist Ivan Chersky. It would be a real shame to miss out on this splendid view.

3 km south-west of Krasnoyarsk, on the right bank of the Yenisey River, in the north-western spurs of the Saan Mountains, lies the State Nature Reserve, Stolby, founded in 1925. One of the favourite activities of the people of Krasnoyarsk is walking to the columns, or stone pillars. You can go there with friends or family to relax, snorkel, picnic in the open air, toboggan, and do some selfies. An exceptional creation of nature hidden in the thick taiga, the reserve is 24 km wide and covers an area of 47,200 ha. It runs along the Ienisseï for 34 km. There are 550 species of plants, 85 mammals (including many bears), 150 birds and 22 fish specimens. For millions of years, the winds and rains have sculpted gigantic granito-sienite figures, named after their bizarre shapes, Feathers, Lion's Bow, Devil's Finger, Totem, Great Eagle, Grandfather, Mittens, etc., in this area. The height of these rocks, which form 80 groups, can reach up to 1,000 meters. Stolby, the most picturesque and most visited corner, extends over 1,400 ha to the north of the reserve. It is a Mecca for green enthusiasts and mountaineers. It is home to a completely different kind of fauna, that of bare-handed climbers (stolbists), who come from all over the world, at any time of the day, to compete with the giants! The first Stolbe (first pole), 568 m high, is the most popular. The highest of them is the second Stolbe, 592 m high and 800 m in circumference. At the summits (some of which can be climbed without too much difficulty), an unforgettable view of the taiga opens up, a breathtaking postcard that gives an idea of the immensity and power of the biome (come in autumn, when the larch trees are blazing). Climbing enthusiasts will find in Stolby something to practice their skills. But beware, the practice is reserved for experienced sportsmen and women! The reserve is also home to a handful of scientists, established here all year round.

Stolby includes several hiking routes, more or less difficult, some of them spread over more than a day's walk. Nature lovers will also be able to sleep here: a comfortable but rudimentary hotel (no running water, no Internet) welcomes you all year round, if the temperature does not go above -20°C. It is also possible to camp, either in the open air or in designated areas. There are a few snack bars at the entrance to the park, which are not always open.

The park offers a spectacular view of the Amur River and a vast promenade. It is one of the city's assets that the municipality has endeavoured to restore very well. From Komsomolskaya Square, a very large staircase leads to the banks of the Amur River, which have also been turned into a promenade, and to Khabarovsk beach, which is very popular in fine weather. The river station can be reached via this promenade. Cruise ships sailing along or across the Amur River leave from here.

During the summer months, the countless water jets of the Peterhof fountains, which operate without a pump and only with the speed gained from the slope, are in operation all day long. The water symphony is accompanied on the opening day of the season by classical music concerts, ballets, fireworks... The illuminated fountains offer a truly magical spectacle. St. Petersburg tourist agencies organize guided tours of Peterhof on the first Sundays in June and October (beginning and end of the season). If you are lucky enough to be able to join them, you will have unforgettable memories. Peterhof is so densely populated that we advise you to visit it with a guide to get the most out of it, and to spend at least half a full day there!

The Great Waterfall is a fabulous ensemble of tiered fountains and marble and bronze statues, designed by Peter the Great himself. The  vasque of the Grande Cascade bears in its center the sculpted group of Samson tearing the lion's mouth

, a work symbolizing Poltava's victory. La colonne of water gushing from the lion's mouth reaches a height of about twenty metres. Surrounding the basin, statues of maritime deities celebrate the access Peter the Great has gained to the Baltic Sea. La  Grande Cascade is linked to the Gulf of Finland by the Maritime Canal. On its shores, a truly magical spectacle is offered by the water games in the double alley of the Fountains.

The Palais de Marly, designed by the architect Braustein (1723 par), hides behind its apparent modesty rich decorations with an abundance of bronzes, lacquers and crystals. Ce palais miniature one-storey high is a unique building from the petrovian era, and one of the rare examples of early Petersburg country houses. Vous y will see collections of paintings as well as personal objects of the greatest of the czars, whose statue, by the sculptor Antokolski (1883), adorns Marly's driveway. To the south of the Grand Palais are the formal gardens of the Verkhni Park, designed according to the plans of^Pierre Ier, whose large central pond is adorned with a beautiful bronze Neptune from^{XVIIe siècle}

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Superior Park.

Free entrance. Stretching between Prospekt St. Peterburgski and the Peterhof Palace, il est bounded on the west by Razvodnaya Street and on the east by Pravlenskaya Street. From a surface of 15 ha, il a was created in 1724. Between 1733 et 1739 fountains, statues and pergolas were installed there. The Chessboard cascade gathers statues and fountains staggered on three terraces paved with black and white marble checkerboard. The complex is flanked by two imposing fountains - Rimskié Fontani - of Roman influence. The Fountain of the Pyramid consists of a pyramidal assembly of 500 tubes from which jets of water gush forth.

The Fountain of the Sun

is a rectangular basin with, in the centre, sixteen dolphins in gilded bronze from which as many jets of water gush forth.

Finally, some fountains equipped with ingenious joking mechanisms, unexpectedly water the unwary who comes too close près  !

Pavillon de Montplaisir. Designed by Pierre le Grand and located on the edge of the gulf, it consists of a central body flanked by lateral galleries. The Palais de Monplaisir exhibits collections of paintings gathered by^Pierre Ier during his travels in France and Holland.

On Victory Hill, with its plunging view of the capital, one celebrates the victories of the Russians over the Nazi army as well as the French (ПАРК ПОБЕДЫ НА ПОКЛОННОЙ ГОРЕ), for it was on this same hill that Napoleon in 1812 waited in vain for the keys to Moscow after his troops had encircled the city. In commemoration, a statue of St. George slaying the dragon and a 142 m high obelisk with a bronze statue of the Greek goddess Niké (Goddess of Triumph) have been erected.

To the north of the village of Doubovy Klioutch, there is a pretty lake covered with lotus trees. In Russia, this plant is included in the list of endangered species. The site is therefore considered an exceptional natural treasure: the flowering period lasts two to three days in August. It is a very short period, but worth seeing: hundreds of pale pink buds open at the same time and cover a good part of the lake. Tourists come here in great numbers. Even out of season, the lake is worth a visit.

This 68 ha park, south of St. Petersburg, was created in 1945 to celebrate victory at the end of the Second World War. Sport is at the honor, with a rink and cross-country skiing trails in winter, and rowing on the summer basin. Tennis courts are located in the part of the park that overlooks the Gagarin perspective.

The old garden, the regular part of the park is to the south-east of the palace. The central aisle is oriented towards the Hermitage Pavilion. On the city side, the old garden is bounded by the waterfall canal; to the south-east, by Sadovaya Street (of the park); to the south, il donne on the large pond. This large pond includes a small island that you can reach with a kind of small towed ferry, which is taken at the Admiralty. The passage costs RUB 200 per person, but there is not much to see on this island.

The old garden is divided into four parties : the Upper Garden, on the three upper terraces facing palais ; the Lower Garden, from the third terrace to the canal at Poissons ; the Hermitage plot, from the canal to the Ponds at Cascades ; and the last, unnamed, from the Ponds of the Waterfalls to Sadovaya Street. In the Lower Garden, along the Hermitage Alley, were dug in 1719-1722 deux rectangular ponds. The Hermitage Pavilion, which gave its name to the part of the old garden, was built between 1744 et 1749 par Zemtsov and then, after 1754, by Rastrelli. Its facades echo the Catherine Palace.

Le chaînon connecting the old garden with regular lines to the landscaped park around the large pond is the Grotto Pavilion, built in 1749  by Rastrelli. Il s is one of the best examples of late Baroque. On the south-eastern edge of the pond, there is a group of three Admiralty pavilions built of red bricks. Not far from the island rises above the water the column of Tchesma, high above 14 m. Built to celebrate the memory of the victory over the Turkish squadron in the Bay of Tchesma in 1771, this column is decorated with symbolic rostrums and crowned with a bronze eagle breaking a crescent moon (symbol of victory). To the south-west of the pond is the light-coloured Turkish bath building, reminiscent of a mosque, built in 1850. Further down, the Podkapriznaya road got its name from the Grand Caprice and Petit Caprice, large rocky mounds and small tunnels under which this road passes. At the top of the Grand Caprice rises the Chinese bower, from which there is a beautiful view of the park (the name "caprice" is usually attached to the fact that after these mounds the path divides, and that it was here that Great Catherine, when she was walking, chose her route at the very last moment).

It is a kind of open geological museum of the main minerals in the region. Unfortunately, the explanations are almost unreadable, due to lack of maintenance. Take a walk in the basement of this park.

Located in the west of Buryatia (470 km from Ulan-Ude), in the Tounka Valley (from the name of the Tounka River, which means "clear"), this park stretches between lakes Baikal and Khoubsougoul (Mongolia). Its surface area is 11,836.62 km2, mostly forest. You enter a majestic mountainous environment spread out from the Khamar-Daban mountains in the west to the Tounka mountains of eastern Saïan. Some areas will remind you of alpine landscapes. The tounka has its own microclimate and flora (some endemic species unique in the world are drastically protected). Its numerous waterfalls, clear lakes, extinct volcanoes, remains and monuments, 12 mineral springs attract many Russian and foreign visitors. The thermal springs, known for their medical virtues, are called Arshan (the most famous), Nivola-Pustyn and Shumak. These sanatoriums are very popular and offer detox and fasting cures.

Founded in May 1991, the aim of the park is the study and protection of nature, the dissemination of the history of the region and the development of tourism. It is possible to go on long walks or horseback rides, excursions by bus or car, and ski tours in winter. The guides for long-distance hiking trails are very well done and will be of great help to you. You can get there by bus or helicopter from Irkutsk or by regular bus from Slioudianka.

A tributary of the Yenisey River was part of the Ob '-Yenisey Canal (1 055 km) at the end of the th century. The canal has lost its importance with the implementation of the Trans-Siberian region. You can learn more by visiting the village of Nijnechadrino.

This resting place for families is also open to foreigners. Various excursions are organized in June, July and August: day at Tagarsky Lake, guided tour of Minoussinsk and in the mountains of the "stone town".

This lake is well known among the Russians who are pressing its black beaches of world and are covered by Soviet buildings.

A very pleasant and idyllic place, with a small beach. The locals like to find themselves in the beautiful days after work or weekend. Ideal for discovering contemporary khakassienne and relaxing.

Once the wooden bridge is crossed on the Katoune, it is three kilometres on foot, on the left of the bridge, to the intersection of roads where signs indicate Beriozka (birch) and Ozero Aïa (Aïa Lake): 1 km from there is a beautiful lake of hot water, a very loved place of travellers. On its shores, the modern Aïa Hotel was built by the Yugoslavs.

The Biysk region is well known for its various spas. If they are not always very pretty, they at least offer the possibility of skiing. The most famous station is Bielokourikha. 75 km from Biysk, in a wonderful climate, at the foot of the Altai Mountains. Comfortable rooms for 1 or 2 people, "luxury" rooms, excellent cuisine. The shuttle buses from the Biysk bus station run almost every half hour.

A chapel opened in 1994 in honour of the children who were victims of the crash of a Soviet military aircraft in 1972.