The natural wonders of Bout du Lac d’Annecy
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The natural wonders of Bout du Lac d’Annecy
Doussard

The natural wonders of Bout du Lac d’Annecy

Fauna
Flora
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Educational family trail to discover the fauna and flora of Le bout du Lac.
A bucolic walk in the heart of the marshes located in the Bout du Lac d'Annecy nature reserve. You will cross an alluvial forest, wet meadows and reed beds on a discovery trail built on stilts. Don't forget your binoculars to observe nesting birds or wintering ducks.

8 points of interest

  • Flora

    Wet meadows

    Natural environment that includes typical marsh species:
    - Yellow Loosestrife with its pretty yellow flowers (the same family as primroses)
    - Purple Loosestrife with its spikes of pink flowers
    - Meadowsweet, known for its medicinal properties
    - Water Mint with its very pleasant smell

    Of course, these environments are home to many other plant species, including many orchids such as the Marsh Helleborine and the Marsh Orchid (Anacamptis palustris).

    Photo: Yellow Loosestrife – Purple Loosestrife - Meadowsweet - Water mint – Marsh Helleborine - Marsh orchis
  • Fauna

    The Common Kingfisher

    Look for perches on the river banks, you might spot a Common Kingfisher, this beautiful, brightly colored bird.
    It’s an outstanding fisherman, always on the lookout for small fish. It dives with a rocket speed deep into the water, to catch fish to feed. Often you only notice the turquoise reflection of its feathers when it flies with a lightning speed to the next meander.
  • Fauna

    The Goosander

    Do you recognize which one is the female? The female Goosander has a brown head and a gray and white body, while the male has a dark green head and a black and white body. The goosander is not a duck but a piscivorous aquatic bird. It is an emblematic species of the Haute-Savoie region, given that it only breeds in 5 departments of France. It is a good diver, nesting in cavities such as old tree trunks.
  • Flora

    Reedbeds

    Reedbeds are productive environments, full of life, in which many species of fish find refuge.
    They also offer nesting places for many passerines, such as the Marsh and Reed Warblers. Maintaining these fragile environments requires a natural tidal range (variation in the water level of the lake) over the seasons.
  • Fauna

    The birds of lake of Annecy

    This old medieval tower is an excellent observation post for aquatic birds. Great crested Grebe, Goosander, Common Coot, Heron, many species enjoy the tranquility of aquatic reedbeds and take refuge in this habitat.
    Overwintering ducks, such as the Red-crested, Tufted and Common Pochards take advantage of the mouths of the Ire and Eau morte rivers to spend the winter.
  • Fauna

    Evidence of the beaver's presence

    Beavers use wood to build their burrows and eat leaves and bark of trees. Observe the willow trunks around you, gnawed by the beaver. This animal, reintroduced in 1972 the Eau morte river, is now found in the entire lake of Annecy, as far as the marsh of Giez.
  • Flora

    Invasive non-native plants

    Goldenrods, Butterfly Bush, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan Balsam, all these plants escaped from gardens, are problematic because they occupy the space of our wild plants.
    This invasive species are vigorous plants, which compete with other species by disturbing the local ecological balance. Periodically, the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Haute-Savoie, manager of the nature reserve, calls on volunteers to uproot these invasive plants in order to preserve the local flora.
  • Fauna

    The Common Chub

    The Common Chub is a freshwater fish that lives mostly on the surface of the water in summer and takes shelter deeper at the bottom from the first cold spells. The juveniles are rather gregarious and live in schools while the adults are more solitary.
    It always seems to have an empty stomach and is constantly watching for any food that the river brings along.

Description

  1. Cross the beach following the path.
  2. Take the pontoon then continue on the path to the Ire footbridge.
  3. After the footbridge, turn left on the wide path. Continue on the wooden path between the reedbeds, to the beaver observation point. Continue on the path along the river (Eau morte).
  4. Turn right on the stilts.
  5. Cross the main path to reach the footbridge and go back by the same path.
  • Departure : Parking « plage de Doussard »
  • Arrival : Parking Plage de Doussard
  • Towns crossed : Doussard

Altimetric profile


Sensitive areas

Along your trek, you will go through sensitive areas related to the presence of a specific species or environment. In these areas, an appropriate behaviour allows to contribute to their preservation. For detailed information, specific forms are accessible for each area.
Impacted practices:
Aerial, Aquatic, , Land
Contact:
Asters - Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Haute-Savoie
contact@cen-haute-savoie.org

Recommandations

Please note that dogs, even on a leash, are not allowed in the reserve. The use of bicycles and scooters is prohibited (noise nuisance for wildlife). Trail accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs only up to the Castor belvedere.

Transport

BUS :
From Annecy, intercity line 51
From Talloires: Line 61
More information: www.philibert-transport.fr

Free summer shuttle
From Doussard: LS and Faverges: LV
From Annecy: L1 and L2
Information: mobil-ete.grandannecy.fr

Access and parking

Access by cycling path : la voie verte around the lake of Annecy. Bicycle shed at the Doussard beach car park.

Folow the lake by road RD 1508, turn left at the sign Douss'Plage.

Paid parking from May to September: from 01/05 to 30/09 at the rate of 0.70€ the first half hour then 1.20€ per hour, with a fixed price of 15€ for 8 hours and a subscription of 61€ for the entire period.

Parking :

Parking Plage de Doussard

Accessibility

Emergency number :114

More information


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