Nature holidays in France: where to merge with wild nature

The roar of a deer

A hoarse cry suddenly cuts through the silence of the autumn dawn. Then there is the sound of the forest clashing, impressive. During the heat period, from September to mid-October, these usually discreet animals do not hesitate to go out into the wild. Sologne, the Vosges, the Paris region…Many forests have established watchtowers and observation points listed on the website of the National Forestry Office (onf.fr), including the forest of the Chambord estate in the Loir-et-Cher is undoubtedly the most magical place to witness this spectacle with the roar of the deer.

Tips for getting started: Brame-du-cerf.com lists, with supporting IGN maps, the exact locations where it is possible to participate. Also valuable advice on how not to disturb the animals.

Chamois rut

It’s a bit of the same ride as for a deer, in a mountain version. Before the December snowfall, chamois try to mate. And the peaks turn into an arena: males chase each other at a speed of 60 km/h, hedgehog hair, females with cubs, stealth mating (you have to be careful, coitus lasts an average of five seconds for this animal). During this period, chamois are less fearful… As long as you stay where you are, that is, on the hiking trails, so as not to disturb them.

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Tips for getting started: The Bauges Massif is the perfect place to hope to see an animal. A dedicated observation point has been set up here, which can be reached after a two-hour hike from the Jarsy settlement.

Wolf trail

Thanks to the wolf distribution map (observatoireduloup.fr), we see that the canine is more represented in France than we think: in the southern Alps, the Massif Central, the Pyrenees, the Vosges and even in the east of the Paris basin. We even saw them in Sarthe and Brittany. This is an animal that runs away from people, so even if the presence of a wolf in the territory is proven, you will have more opportunities to see its tracks than to make direct observations.

Tips for getting started: The wild Hauts-Plateaux du Vercors National Nature Reserve is a very good place to try your luck on a solo hike or with a naturalist guide, as offered by some tour operators (terdav.com).

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➤ Article published in GEO Special Issue No. 47, Where to Travel in 2024from February to March 2024.

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