Wildlife

The fauna of Berry, although not exclusive compared to other regions of France, is characterized by a great diversity of species spread across its many natural sites. The wetlands of the Brenne region are home to the European cistude, the yellow-bellied sounder and various salamanders. These unspoilt spaces are home to a wide variety of animals: little bustards on the plains, big game such as red deer, wild boar and roe deer in the forests, as well as hares, foxes, badgers, martens and weasels, which can be seen quite frequently. The Brenne also boasts waterfowl (ducks, teal, redshanks, terns), and impressive migrations of grey cranes, some of which nest locally. Along rivers like the Loire, otters and beavers are making a comeback, while rare bats (rhinolophes, barbastelles) populate caves and cavities. Reptiles include the large green and yellow snake, nicknamed "sanyard", as well as vipers and garter snakes. Birds abound: woodpeckers, creepers and nuthatches in the forest, bitterns near ponds, nightjars, shrikes and passerines in the meadows. Ponds and streams teem with fish: bream, bleak, roach, catfish, pike and carp. Insects also thrive, with the clawed gomphus dragonfly, the kite-flying lucanus, the peacock peacock, the great marsh copper and the succulent checkerspot. In addition to its wild fauna, Berry is also home to a number of domesticated species inherited from the agricultural needs of the last century, which favored robustness and endurance. Today, some are local emblems, such as the Grand Noir du Berry donkey, the Cou-Clair goat, the Berrichon du Cher sheep and the black Berry chicken, while Limousin cows display their brown coats in the meadows.

La Flore

The flora flourishes in a mosaic of landscapes, from forests to wetlands. Tall trees dominate: oak, beech and chestnut in the forests, ash, willow and alder in the wetlands. Some of these have been awarded the "Arbres remarquables" label, testifying to an exceptional plant heritage: the oak at La Chapelle-Montlimard, the lime trees at Noirlac Abbey, the trees on the Domaine de Nohant (Indre), the yew at Château de La Motte-Feuilly, the oak at Saint-Civran in the hamlet of La Bitte and the oak at Vicq-Exemplet at the ferme des Trois-Chênes. Heathlands vibrate with heather, while wetlands abound with reeds, sedges and rushes. The limestone hillsides of southern Berry are home to a rare and precious flora: a variety of orchids (orchis, ophrys) and cephalanthera flourish here. In the undergrowth, spring reveals lungwort, wild garlic, wood anemone, Solomon's seal and wood hyacinth. Rarer species, such as the martagon lily, guinea fritillary or gentian pneumonanthe, grow on specific sites, adding a touch of wild elegance to the plant biodiversity that makes the region so rich.

Chaumes du Verniller Nature Reserve

Established at the start of 2014 in the Cher département, near Bourges, the Chaumes du Verniller Nature Reserve covers an area of 81 hectares, mainly encompassing the commune of La Chapelle Saint-Ursin and part of Morthomiers. This unique site owes its richness to its limestone grassland soil, which is home to exceptional biodiversity. Among the plant treasures, two rare plants that are protected in France stand out: Jaubert's euphrasia and thatch sandwort. Alongside them flourish almost 400 species, including white wormwood, grass-leaved daisy, mountain anthyllid, pennate stipe, spreading thesium and a diversity of wild orchids, prized for their delicate beauty. As far as wildlife is concerned, the old mine galleries provide an ideal refuge for bats, notably the rhinolophus and murinus, both protected species. A few years ago, a census revealed the presence of 61 species of butterfly, including the brightly-colored wild blue, the bacchante and the great wood nigger. The site is also home to the stump lizard, an agile rock reptile, as well as birds such as the lark, with its melodious song, and the babbler warbler, a discreet bush inhabitant.

Brenne Natural Park

Located in the Indre department, the Brenne Regional Nature Park covers 1,800 km², offering a mosaic of landscapes: the Grande Brenne with its woods, ponds and moors, the Petite Brenne rich in ponds and forests, and the southern Boischaut with its rolling bocages. Created in 1985, the Saint-Michel-en-Brenne reserve, which has grown from 145 to 370 ha, is home to exceptional biodiversity: 300 species of birds (herons, black-necked grebes, shrikes), 61 dragonflies, 32 fish (lampreys, pikes), 15 rare amphibians (brown pelobate, marbled newt, yellow-bellied sounder), and mammals such as deer, wild boar and coypu. The flora shines through with water lilies, orchids, four-leaved marsiliums, Illyrian gladioli and bog drosera, making the park a natural jewel.

Gardens

Berry abounds in enchanting gardens, veritable jewels of greenery where foliage rustles and floral scents intoxicate. The nine gardens united under the banner of "Jardins secrets en Berry", all of which have been awarded the "jardins remarquables" label, are distinguished by their diversity: artistic gardens such as Drulon, adorned with contemporary sculptures, the monastic gardens of Orsan, inspired by medieval cloisters, or the romantic gardens of Pesselières, crossed by a stream. Georges de Brissac's daring floral park at Apremont-sur-Allier transforms a former quarry into an oasis, with a water lily pond and rare species (redwoods, weeping cedars, ginkgos biloba). At Nohant, George Sand's gardens, created with Dumas, Chopin and Flaubert, evoke a timeless poetry. The Domaine de Poulaines charms with its bamboo and rose garden, and the gardens of Ainay-le-Vieil, nicknamed "Petit Carcassonne", captivate with their themed chartreuses. More intimate gardens, such as Valençay or Prés-Fichaux in Bourges, complete this unique plant heritage.