Archaeology handicrafts and science and technology sites to visit Provence

Production of sheers for musical instruments.

This ornithological reserve, located in the heart of Haute-Provence, is an exceptional site, consisting of three artificial wetlands located on the territories of the neighbouring communes of Château-Arnoux - Saint-Auban, Volonne, l'Escale, Malijai and les Mées. Depending on the time of year, 140 different species of birds can be observed there. This reserve concentrates more than 56% of the bird species present in the department, as well as more than 56% of the breeding bird species identified as threatened in the PACA region. These birds are often hidden in the tangle of reedbeds, or hidden in the wild copses bordering the wetlands and, sometimes, even well camouflaged in the gravel banks of the Durance.

Other species, less shy, can be admired on the surface of the lake. The Château-Arnoux tourist office offers free leaflets describing an eco-tour entitled "from the Farm to the Chapel, along the water" with the positioning of the 12 sites, on a path around the lake of about 10 kilometres, which have been developed in an "Ecobalade application", available on smartphones (and very useful for discovering other beautiful walks!). Plants, trees, insects, mammals, reptiles and even molluscs present on the path are described for walkers. To download directly on : www.ecobalade.fr/balade/balade-chateau-arnoux-04. Exceptional!

The toulonnaise region is full of marked trails where you can randonner in a wild nature. This body, one of the oldest hiking associations in the region, has a whole bank of excursions and walks of all kinds in all kinds of landscapes and paths of various difficulties. The association also offers programmes for climbing, mountaineering, alpine hiking and skiing.

Children will discover- with nets and with magnifying glasses - flowers, butterflies and other beasties that inhabit the slopes of Bau Four Aures. Wearing sneakers, carrying snack and bottle of water in the bag, the little explorers and their parents are willing to climb the hill! Nature awakens so wake up, your kids! Required: an accompanying parent for children up to 3 years old. More to that, an educational outing is available from 5 years old, and butterfly nets, magnifying glasses and jars are provided.

Night walk "under the moon and the stars," discovery of the Tourravelle and Croupatier massifs (among others), hiking accessible to visually impaired and disabled ... Guided and supervised walks entitled "little explorers" are also available for children.

Departing from Place Montfort, which has been Place du Marché since 1817, this little train will take you through 2,000 years of history in around three-quarters of an hour. First, we head for the 14-hectare Gallo-Roman city, through the sites of Puymin and La Villasse, where gigantic villas alternate with temples, sanctuaries and an ancient theater... Then, holding your breath, you'll cross the elegant Roman bridge over the Ouvèze to reach the upper town, dominated by its belfry. This part of the town flourished in medieval times. Wander around the castle, the ^12th-century cloister adjoining the cathedral and the Saint-Quentin chapel. Finally, we return to reality in the lively streets of the Provencal village.

Since 1995, we've been going way back in time, to the hamlet of Les Bruns. Once again, Roman presence is attested as early as the first century of our era. First a small rural building, followed in the 2nd century by a Gallo-Roman villa. A villa in the sense of a group of dwellings, since it comprises a farm on the one hand, and a dwelling and thermal baths on the other. 27 rooms on no less than 1,000m2. In the dwelling house, archaeologists even discovered the family archives in the master's study. The particularity of this villa is that it is 80 meters long, in contrast to the classical organization of buildings around an atrium. On the walls, blue was found in the bathtub, yellow in the frigidarium and red in the outdoor pool. For all these reasons, this is a highly valuable archaeological site.

The walk is pleasant and lasts only one hour and a half. You can easily do it in family because it is very easy and impossible to get lost; the indicator panels are well located. The Regional Natural Park of Luberon has marked the evolution of plaques that give information about the Luberon wine culture as well as the three AOC: Côtes du Rhône, Ventoux and Coteaux de Pierrevert (five information stations). For the rest, a hilly landscape of vineyards and olive tree.