France - The Cevennes Naturetrek Tour Report 16 - 23 May 2018 Short-toed Snake Eagle Botanising on the Causse Mejean View down into Tarn Gorge near Saint Enimie Little Blue butterflies at edge of River Tarn Report and images by Jenny & John Willsher Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E:
[email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report France - The Cevennes Tour participants: Jenny & John Willsher (Tour leaders) and 14 Naturetrek clients Summary In the southernmost part of the Massif Central are the rugged and dramatic landscapes of the Cevennes and Causses surrounding the attractive town of Florac. This area, with its diversity of landscapes, meant a wildlife rich week in this beautiful and peaceful part of France, enjoying masses of colourful and intriguing plants, many species of butterflies and some great birds. As we ascended the Corniche de Cevennes on our arrival day the roadsides were dotted with orchids and Meadow Saxifrage, and a meadow of Poet's Narcissi gave us a flavour of the week ahead. The colours of the forests, meadows and rocky roadside banks were wonderful. The weather was better than the early forecast had suggested, indeed there had been snow on the Causse Mejean only a few days earlier, and even on the notorious Mont Aigoul we had sunshine but it was not quite clear enough for the promised views to the Camargue, the Alps and the Pyrenees. Orchid species were prolific, with drifts of the red and yellow Elder-flowered Orchid and banks of Monkey, Lady and Military Orchids in profusion, and the air was rich with the scent of various broom species.