A wealth of biodiversity
The Étang des Aulnes (the Alder Pond) is unique in France and on the Mediterranean rim. It is made up of an interweaving of natural habitats. Dry grasslands, wet and dry meadows and garigues cohabit with ponds and aquatic areas, in a subtle and fragile biological balance. This exceptional site is home to a riparian forest composed of poplars, a few elms and pedunculate oaks. This type of vegetation grows exclusively around rivers, streams and water bodies.
Many birds have taken up residence around the Etang des Aulnes. Numerous sedentary and migratory species await the amateur or passionate ornithologist. In the sky, the spectacle offered by the ballet of birds of prey is constantly renewed, thanks to the majestic flights of the Red Kite or the Hen Harrier. You can also observe the pin-tailed sandgrouse, a colourful species found in France only in the Crau plain. It is a prime location for birdwatching in France.
Small mammals have also made this vast wilderness their own. The most attentive walkers can meet the Eurasian beaver, the largest aquatic rodent in the northern hemisphere. Many species of insects live here, some of which are now threatened. This is the case, for example, of the Sympetrum depressiusculum, a rare species of dragonfly.
To the south, the Coussouls de Crau domain, covering a thousand hectares, preserves a natural area that is unique in Europe: the coussoul, a semi-arid pasture ecosystem found nowhere else.
