Fauna & Flora

Birds

The area is a paradise for birds. On the cliffs of the Gorges de la Frau you can see the peregrine falcon. It nests in the rocks and hunts in the area. This beautiful bird of prey is a fearsome hunter for other birds. If you want to find out more about this bird and other birds you can visit the “eagles of the Château de Lordat”. Three types of vultures brood in the Pyrenees: the griffon vulture, the Egyptian vulture and the bearded vulture. The brooding starts in January or February. The griffon vulture broods in colonies, whereas the Egyptian vulture and the bearded vulture brood on their own. However, they all brood in niches in the cliff face that are very hard to reach.

Some large animals

The chamois (that you can see in Comus, Camurac, Hauts de lafajole and the forest of Niave), the wild boar, the reebok and large deer species (in Belcaire and Belvis) are the pride of our country. The greatest spectacle that you can observe during chilly autumn nights is the roaring of a deer.

The brown bear

A few brown bears can be found in the least accessible forests. The bear is so shy that anyone who runs into him may be considered a very lucky person.

A couple of years ago three Slovenian brown bears werereleased in the Pyrenees, hoping that they would increase the number of bears. Apparently this has been very successful.

Other mammals

The weasel, the stone marten, the marten, the polecat, the badger, the fox and the European wildcat are other mammals that have really adapted well to the landscape of the French Pyrenees.

Marmots

The marmots awake in spring and start their search for food. If you approach them gently they are easy to observe.

Butterflies

In the Gorges de la Frau you can find large clouds of butterflies: swallowtails, Apollos, aurora butterflies and many varieties of blue.

On the Col del Teil, located between Montsegur and Puivert, you can visit the butterfly garden, where you can discover the amazing butterfly world. Open from May until October.

Amphibians

You can also see frogs, toads, salamanders and reptiles such as lizards and snakes here.

 

CLIMATE

The region has a mountain climate. The long summers can be very hot but never oppressive because of the altitude. At night it cools down pleasantly so you can enjoy a good night’s sleep. It can snow from November till February. Click here for today’s weather.

Flora

Among the 3300 species of plants you can find the Pyrenees’ star hyacinth and the wood anemone. Beeches and silver firs form woods on the mountain slopes. Nearly all the trees have a thick overgrowth of lichen on the trunk and branches.