Discover Puy-De-Dôme : Nature (Biodiversity / Fauna & Flora)

At the foot of my tree

The stars of the Auvergne are the oak and the chestnut. The Forêt domaniale de Tronçais is the ideal place to meet the former, which often reaches a century in age. And with good reason: it's one of Europe's finest oak forests, divided into four compact massifs covering an area of 10,532 hectares. Numerous footpaths criss-cross the area. Take a stroll and discover the Tronçais oak. There are around 300,000 of them, all at least 150 years old. A tree much appreciated for its various qualities. It is used, among other things, to make merrains (barrel laths). Twenty-six of them were recently selected for the rebuilding of the frame of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. More specifically, they will be used for the spire. The Forêt de Tronçais has been awarded the "Forêt d'Exception" label by the Office National des Forêts (ONF).
Chestnut trees can be found further south, in Cantal, in the land of the... Châtaigneraie of course. Numerous hiking trails enable you to discover these trees, which are just as old as the oaks of the Bourbonnais region, and some even older. Chestnut trees are a fundamental part of local life and economic activity. The vernacular heritage is marked by its presence. During your hike, you're sure to come across a small stone building known as a sécadou. This little house served as a chestnut drying room. The chestnuts were spread out on the upper floor, and a fire downstairs gently dried them. To find out more about this tree, its life and the activities that have developed around it, visit the Maison de la Châtaigne in Mourjou. Beech also has its own forest: the Comté in Puy-de-Dôme.

In autumn, the forests and undergrowth are frequented by mushroom hunters. Cèpes, girolles, trompettes de la mort, pieds de mouton, coulemelles, chanterelles grises show themselves to amateurs who know how to keep their eyes open and are patient.

Flowers of the fields or mountains

Auvergne boasts 2,800 native plants. Of these, 20% are considered exceptional. Some of these plants are renowned for their medicinal properties. In the mountains, as in the Sancy, guides offer discovery outings to learn how to recognize them and when and how to use them.
The most emblematic flower of the Massif Central is the gentian. It's easy to spot, with its 70-centimetre high, star-shaped flowers. It can be found at altitudes as low as 850 meters. The flower grows naturally, but is also cultivated and made into an aperitif drink. Gentian takes between 20 and 30 years to grow. In the Massif Central, production is estimated at 1,000 tonnes a year. Mind you, we're not talking about the petals of the yellow flower, of course, but the root. For it is the root that is used to make the famous bitter-tasting liqueur. In Haute-Loire, verbena is grown and processed into a liqueur to be enjoyed as an after-dinner drink.
A stroll through the Chaudefour valley, high above Chambon-sur-Lac, reveals small blue flowers. These are the Jasione crépue d'Auvergne. Growing at altitudes of between 1,500 and 1,800 meters, it is found only here. It flowers in August. This very rare species is closely monitored as part of a program run by the Chastreix-Sancy and Chaudefour Valley nature reserves. Three years ago, 172 flowers were counted.
On the Aubrac side, in springtime, the high meadows are covered in white... it's not snow! It's the poet's narcissus. At the end of May and beginning of June, these wild flowers are picked and used to make the famous perfumes of Grasse.
Nearby Clermont-Ferrand, on the coast, orchids come into their own as the sun rises. Loving to bask in the sun, these 3-petalled flowers grow wherever there's light. In France, there are no fewer than 55 species of European orchid. Here, there are 19! Don't expect to see them all on the same day: they have different hatching cycles.
In the peat bogs, the flora is just as rich and spectacular. There are even some fascinating carnivorous plants, such as the drosera. This small flower, 10 to 20 centimetres high, is made up of round red leaves spread out in rosettes. In summer, it is covered with small white flowers. Thanks to its glandular hairs, it swallows insects that come too close and feeds on them. Alpine fennel, meadow daffodils and brown nutsedge are also part of the local flora.

Who is hiding in the Auvergne nature?

Atlantic salmon in the Allier, deer in the various forests and mountain marmots are the emblematic animals of the Auvergne. But they're not the only ones. Lesser-known animals such as the peregrine falcon can be found soaring through the skies, while the otter can be found washing up in a river. The latter are the subject of conservation plans.
Among mammals, no fewer than 87 wild species live in Auvergne. Unfortunately, around thirty of them are threatened. Ermines, polecats and weasels are found mainly in the Allier and Puy-de-Dôme regions. Weasels and martens are found mainly in the Bocage bourbonnais. Snow voles, amphibian voles, woodland mice, collared field mice and monsoon rats can also be spotted... provided you're attentive, patient and keep quiet! In the forests, the star is the deer. On autumn evenings, numerous outings are organized throughout the Auvergne to watch the stag bellow. It's an intense moment, during which you become a spectator of nature. As well as hearing it, you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse.
The Cantal and Sancy massifs are home to chamois and mouflon. They share their territory with marmots. They are also found in the Mézenc massif in the Haute-Loire.
Bats thrive in Auvergne. 29 species have been recorded. The Grotte de la Denise, in the Haute-Loire, is the main hibernation site, and is protected under the European Natura 2000 network. To be sure of spotting them and find out all about them, take part in a guided tour and experience a night out of the ordinary.
Nearly 350 species can be seen in Auvergne's skies. Here again, some are threatened and protected. The red kite hibernates in the Cantal, where it comes to nest between 500 and 1,000 meters above sea level. In spring, the black kite honors us with its presence, returning directly from Africa, where it spends the winter in the warmth. The Truyère, Alagnon, Allier and Dordogne gorges are very popular with the peregrine falcon. At night, some birds are out and about, like the great horned owl and the screech owl. The owl is another mysterious bird to be spotted in the Auvergne. For the pleasure of young and old alike, five owls can be seen: the barn owl, the tawny owl, the little owl and the Tengmalm's owl.
Much smaller, but with wings just as bewitching, the butterfly colors Auvergne's landscapes. Strolling through the Chaudefour valley, our path crosses that of a butterfly with white wings spotted with black and red. It's the elegant Apollon.
Allier, Dordogne, Alagnon, Maronne...: many rivers cross the Auvergne and are home to numerous species. The best-known fish is the salmon in the Allier. As for the fario trout, it prefers cool waters. Gudgeons, loaches, sticklebacks, roaches, minnows, eels and lampreys also populate the rivers. Volcanic lakes, such as Pavin or Chauvet, are home to Arctic char.

A preserved nature

With the region's rich flora and fauna, it's essential to protect them. Auvergne boasts a number of nature reserves. The Parc naturel régional des Volcans d'Auvergne covers almost 400,000 hectares in the Cantal and Sancy regions. It includes the Dômes and Dore mountains, and the Cézallier and Artense plateaus.
Still in the Sancy, 1,900 hectares are part of the Chastreix-Sancy National Nature Reserve. It is managed by the Parc national régional des Volcans d'Auvergne and the ONF. More than a thousand plants are listed here, of which around a hundred are protected, and six are unique to Auvergne. It is home to mountain fauna and over a hundred rare birds and butterflies.
The Parc régional naturel du Livradois-Forez contributes to the development of this region of Auvergne, stretching from the western part of the Comté and Livradois to the northern part of the Pays de Thiers, with a foray into the Haute-Loire in the region of La Chaise-Dieu, not forgetting the Forez mountains to the east.
In Haute-Loire, the Lac de Malaguet nature reserve lies on the border between the La Chaise-Dieu plateau and the Velay region. Amphibious lawns, mown or grazed meadows, peat bogs and natural fir forests make up the area.
The Tourbières du Jolan and La Gazelle regional nature reserve at Ségur-les-Villas is the first reserve in the Cantal region. Situated on the basalt plateaux of the Cézallier at an altitude of 1,130 metres, it is one of the region's most important wetlands. Insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles, plants...: its ecosystem is extremely rich.