Wildlife
The skies over the Hérault are home to many birds. Attracted by the richness of its waters, the nutrients of its marshes and the many protected areas that guarantee their tranquillity, they come to enjoy the territory all year round, or in passing, during the great migratory season. Indeed, both sedentary and highly migratory birds can be found here. The ponds along the Mediterranean coast are particularly suitable environments for the development of these species. It's not unusual to see black coots, egrets, grey herons, geese and storks taking flight. But the emblematic bird is, of course, the pink flamingo. This great traveler, which normally winters in North Africa, has over the last twenty years become accustomed to staying in the region even during the winter. A stroll around the ponds of the Hérault region will enable you to get close to this amazing animal, which has become the symbol of the lagoons.
All around these ponds and in the hinterland, the region is home to numerous species, both in the wild and on farms. Many of them are attracted by the garrigue that covers much of the department. Diverse and adapted to the particularities of the climate, the garrigue is abundant and home to a number of special species, such as the Montpellier snake, a snake over 2 m long, the small grey lizard ("angrole") and the small grey lizard ("cargolade"). The vegetation of the garrigue encouraged the settlement of wild boars, so much so that today they are very much at home in Hérault. A number of species have also been introduced to the landscape by man, and have become an important part of local culture. The bull comes to mind. Small and black, with lyre-shaped horns, they live in herds in fields bordering ponds, in farms called "manades". The other animal essential to the manade is the Camargue horse. Small, stocky and descended from local breeds, it has large hooves adapted to wet environments. Docile and easy to train, they are at one with their rider, the "gardian", and are an effective auxiliary in leading and controlling the herd of bulls.
The department's waters are also home to a variety of species. In the coastal ponds, the development of migratory fish is favored by the presence of lagoons communicating with the sea via more or less active passages known as "graux". The two most representative species are the sea bream, which "heads" out to sea from September onwards, and the eel, which stays there from autumn to the end of winter. Apart from mussels and oysters, which are farmed on an industrial scale - particularly in the Etang de Thau - many other shellfish inhabit these ponds, including clams, tellins, clams and other bivalves. Among the marine fauna, we shouldn't forget sea fish (red mullet, monkfish, wolffish, etc.) and mammals.
The flora
Much of France's flora can be found in the valleys, plains and mountains of the Hérault. The department is brimming with botanical wonders, and you only have to go for a walk in the countryside to see the diversity. The flora varies according to distance from the coast, altitude and exposure.
The great lords of Hérault flora are the holm oak (or yeuse), with its dark green evergreen foliage, the Aleppo pine, which filters the sun's rays through its needles, and the arbutus, with its pretty red berries. At higher altitudes, up to around 800 m, the oak family expands to include the white oak. In the Hérault region, the chestnut tree, the "breadfruit tree" of the Cévennes and all the populations of the southern edge of the Massif Central, also plays an important role. Grown between 400 and 1,000 meters above sea level on terraces, it provides timber and has ensured the survival of many generations through its fruit, consumed by man and livestock in various forms.
Below come shrubs with evocative names: lentisks, terebinths, boxwoods, junipers, kermes oaks with prickly leaves... Close to the ground, grasses dominate, mainly brachypode rameux, the sheep's favorite grass, mingling with aromatic plants, the most famous of which is thyme. In the midst of this rich vegetation, a few rare flowers and plants remain. These include the oyat, the dune's best-known plant. This small grass with its tracing roots helps maintain the barrier beach.
Finally, one of the special features of the flora of the Hérault region is the presence of brackish water, the result of mixing fresh and salt water. This environment attracts halophilic (salt-loving) plants such as saladelle and salicorne. As soon as the water becomes softer, the reed bed develops.
Natural parks
The Hérault département is home to two major nature parks.
The Cévennes National Park is located in the north of the territory and was created in 1970, covering five different areas: the Causse Méjean, Mont Lozère, the Bougès mountain, the Gardon valleys and the Aigoual massif. Covering an area of 321,000 ha, its mission is to preserve the richness and diversity of nature, the result of a range of climates (oceanic, continental, Mediterranean), soils (granite, limestone, schist) and altitude variations, from 378 m to 1,699 m. This world biosphere reserve, recognized as such by Unesco since 1985, is conducive to biological enrichment, such as the natural recolonization of species (Tengmalm's owl, black-legged frog, otter, etc.) or the reintroduction of bighorn sheep, beavers, griffon and griffon vultures, etc.
The Haut-Languedoc Regional Nature Park straddles the Tarn and Hérault départements, covering an area of 260,000 ha (93 communes). It was created to protect the flora and fauna of the Espinouse, Caroux, Montagne Noire, Sidobre and Monts de Lacaune massifs to the west. Nature is untamed, the vegetation contrasting, and superb gorges such as those of Héric and Colombières add character to the landscape and promise a refreshing swim. New guests thrive here, such as the mouflons du Caroux.
