Loop 52 - The Balconies of Mont Guillaume

8 points of interest

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  Fauna

  Grey wagtail

  Size:
  L : 16.5 - 18 cm
  Around: 25 cm

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  Water

  Reservoir

  The reservoir was filled in 1962. It is fed by the Durance river. The reservoir owes its unique nature to the surrounding landscape, with views of the Morgon, Mont Guillaume and the resort of Les Orres. The area offers a host of services to enhance your visit. The route along the dam has been reforested and improved for everyone's peace of mind.

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  Vernacular heritage

  Clapiers

  "Clapier" is the term used in the southern Alps to describe a pile of stones. They are evidence of former farming activities. The stones were once removed to clear the fields. This made it easier to work the soil and saved space. Back then, everything was done by hand.

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  Fauna

  Common Kestrel

  The Common Kestrel is medium-sized. The underside of the wings has a cream colour with black spots. The male’s head and top of its tail is blue-grey. This bird of prey flies rapidly, beating its wings fairly continuously, alternating changes of trajectory, short glides and sudden dives. Its characteristic feature is that it comes to a halt in flight, tail open like a fan, wings beating very rapidly, on the lookout for prey. This is known as the "flight of the Holy Spirit".

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  Pastoralism

  Grazing

  Pastoralism is an extensive farming technique practised by livestock farmers. It exploits natural resources to feed the herd. This practice is now thought to have begun around 10,000 years ago. Certain animals with a natural tendency to group together are then domesticated. The search for food led mankind to raise these herds with a nomadic lifestyle. This practice is very important in terms of maintaining open environments and encouraging certain specific species.

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  Know-how

  Retaining walls

  The retaining walls are made of dry stone. They are called restanques in Provence. In steep areas, they can be used to create farmed terraces by retaining the soil. At the time, their construction enabled generations of farmers to make a living from their land, which became fertile and arable. Today, many researchers and craftsmen are trying to bring back this age-old technique.

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  Fauna

  The Grey Cuckoo

  This is a medium-sized migratory bird, identified by its "cuckoo" song, from April to July, between woodland and open spaces.
  The females seek out the nests of small sparrows and eat one of the eggs of the occupied nest before laying their own. In the cuckooed nest, the cuckoo chick, which is born before the others, will eject all the other eggs so it can be raised by its adoptive parents!

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  Flora

  The larch

  The king of mountain trees in the Southern Alps, the larch is the only conifer to drop its needles in winter. In spring, its cones are a characteristic dark purple. The larch is one of the few European tree species that is imputrescible, that is to say, it does not rot. This is why, despite the fact that it twists as it dries out, it is widely use in frameworks, drinking troughs and other water holding vessels in the mountain villages. Incapable of germinating in its own undergrowth, it needs natural openings such as avalanche corridors for the young shoots to develop. It is found at altitudes in excess of 2,200 metres, adopting dwarf forms in these "combat" zones. The larch tree growing at this point on the trail is several hundred years old.

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