The deer loop trail : snowshoe Les Houches

4 points of interest

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  Fauna

  The Red Deer

  A herbivorous, ruminant animal, its diet consists mainly of grass, depending on the season. In winter, it lives mainly off its stashes and eats just 2 to 3 kg of dry food a day, unlike in other seasons, when it eats 10 kg of food a day. Its territory is much smaller in winter, so it stays in the forest and nearby villages to conserve energy. The male red deer sheds his antlers in March and they grow back in May. The female is sometimes confused with the roe deer! The latter is much leaner (20-25 kg) and its antlers are much smaller.

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  At the gates of the nature reserve

  Just above you is the Carlaveyron . A protected area since 1991, Carlaveyron offers a remarkable variety of landscapes. At the bottom of the Diosaz gorges, the diversity of species in the forest is reminiscent of a real natural forest. By looking higher up, you can admire the spectacular work of erosion. It's completely random and chaotic by its nature! An ancient glacier played part in shaping the relief, allowing water to create its own garden: lake, peat bogs... Observe the wildlife and enjoy peace and beauty of this protected area.

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  Flora

  Usnea barbata or Beard Moss

  This fruticose lichen, which can be seen hanging down from the branches, is commonly known as "Jupiter's beard" or "beard moss". This plant is found in medium-to-high elevation mountains and grows in damp environments. The fact that it grows indicates good air quality! It thrives best in quiet coniferous forests such as fir, spruce and larch. It colonises branches and trunks, growing very slowly and is exceptionally longevous. It is a popular food for deer, hinds and chamois when grass is scarce in winter. Find out more about the many virtues of this wild plant!

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  Flora

  The coniferous forest

  This predominantly coniferous forest (fir, spruce, pine and larch) is an important part of the Alpine landscape. Such forests are both naturally-occuring and artificially planted but their purpose remains the same: to protect the soil from erosion. The natural high-altitude spruce forest is a common habitat in the sub-alpine zone (between 1700 and 2400 m altitude) in the Northern Alps. It is home to many species of birds, including black and green woodpeckers and owls. Its dead wood is also home to many saproxylophagous insects, which feed on dead wood.