CHAUFOUR VALLEY NATURE RESERVE
Nature reserve located in Chaystreix, crossed by several hiking trails, whose access is free.
The Chastreix-Sancy National Nature Reserve is located in the glacial valley of the Fontaine Salée. It is managed on behalf of the State by the Parc naturel régional des Volcans d'Auvergne and the Office national des forêts. It contains 87 different natural habitats in an excellent state of conservation. The most exceptional environments are found in the ridge areas, for example cliff plant groups or high altitude lawns and grasslands, which are very rare in Auvergne. Magnificent peat bogs are scattered throughout the area, as well as beautiful beech forests. Thickets of Lappish willow, a species protected in France, occupy the edges of the streams on the steep slopes of the Sancy. 1,058 plants have been inventoried, 121 of which are protected or threatened. Six are only found in Auvergne. The fauna is remarkable and essentially mountainous, mouflons, marmots, roe deer... 132 species of birds have been observed, as well as extremely rare butterflies, including two endemic subspecies, the apollo and the bistort copper. The nature reserve is crossed by several hiking trails, whose access is free. The GR4 and GR30 cross the ridges of the massif. Three short hiking trails run partially through the reserve. One of them concerns the tour of the Chaudefour valley, while the others leave from Chastreix or Chareire. Breathtaking landscapes, wild nature, exceptional flora and remarkable fauna, extinct volcanoes... not to be missed!
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I strongly recommend the visit in June for the many flowers and medicinal plants.