Biotopes of the valley
Where garrigue meets alpine limestone
Dry ravines, scrub oak and wild thyme run from the sea breeze toward the inland summits. This page follows the plants, rock and wildlife that shape the walks around the village.
Garrigue and scrub
Scrub, oak and wildflowers
Garrigue scrub grows low on the thin soils between limestone ledges. Boxwood, wild thyme and scrub oak hold the slopes together, and in spring small flowers appear among the stones.
Marl slopes hold moisture longer than the bare rock, so plant cover thickens in the gullies. Walkers notice the change in scent and colour as the path drops from the ridge.
Landforms and wildlife
Karst, gullies and the sky above
Water cuts narrow gullies into the karst, leaving dry channels that fill after storms. Raptors ride the thermals above the ridges while chamois and songbirds keep to the rocky edges.
Limestone karst
Pale limestone is shaped into ledges, sinkholes and smoothed pavements that hold rainwater only briefly.
Runoff gullies
After rain, water runs quickly down the gullies, carving channels that shelter shrubs and small birds.
Raptors and chamois
Raptors use the warm air above the ridges, while chamois and songbirds move between the rocks and the scrub.