Les coussous de la Crau

In 2001, more than 7,400 hectares of Coussouls de Crau were classified as a Natural Reserve. It is co-managed by the Conservatory of Southern Alps - Provence Ecosystem Studies (CEEP), and the Chamber of Agriculture of Bouches-du Rhone. Since May 2008, a portion of this reserve is available under the "Draille des Coussouls Interpretive Trail".
The Coussouls de Crau Nature Reserve provides strong protection to preserve and keep alive both the natural and pastoral heritage.
- On the natural level, the Nature Reserve features an original and remarkable fauna and flora ecosystem.- On the pastoral level, the endless landscapes of the Crau have been covered for millennia by shepherds and their flocks. In addition, the ancestral activity of pastoralism contributes to maintain the delicate balance that exists between agriculture and the environment.
Of this vastness, only 147 hectares of the Peau de Meau Reserve are accessible to the public after obtaining a compulsory Pass (3 €) to the Crau Ecomuseum. Since May 2008, this pass allows visitors to go on "Draille des Coussouls Interpretive Trail", a 4.7 km pathway in a protected environment. In about two hours of walking, it offers children and adults the opportunity to explore the unknown aspects of the dry Crau. To guide them, 15 panels have been installed on site. They describe landscapes, the fauna and flora, the work of a shepherd and driving herds... Biotope protection.