RÉSERVE NATURELLE NATIONALE D'ARJUZANX

In the heart of Europe's largest forest massif and at the gateway to the Landes and Gascony Regional Nature Park, in the Morcenx-le-Nouvelle, Rion-des-Landes and Villenave areas, the Arjuzanx National Nature Reserve was created on September 2, 2022, making it the largest nature reserve in the Landes region, covering 2,205 hectares. Created when EDF exploited and rehabilitated a lignite mine, it is home to rare and endangered avifauna (209 bird species, including 41 of Community interest) and plants, as well as remarkable animal species. Classified as a national game and wildlife reserve in 1987, it became France's largest wintering site for grey cranes. Over 20,000 cranes take refuge here every winter. A birdwatcher's paradise! Discover it on your own or with a guide. On the outskirts of the nature reserve, you can take advantage of discovery trails with wheelchair access, several viewpoints and the Miocene garden (a 1.4-hectare landscape recreated 11 million years ago). In this unspoilt setting, Lac d'Arjuzanx also offers a supervised swimming area, pedestrian and water sports activities, summer events, a camping-car area... It's not for nothing that a visit is essential to understand the evolution of this site today, which has been remarkably transformed, developed and protected. The Maison de Site is the ideal starting point. A word of advice: go there!