Ayeres' big loop

The exhibition an information office Maison de la Réserve naturelle de Passy is located in Plaine-Joux and welcomes you during the school holidays. The permanent exhibition about fauna, flora and landscapes will open the doors to the nature reserve. You may find answers to some of your questions here and can admire the wild species hidden in nature. If the Maison de la Réserve naturelle is closed, don’t worry, go up to the passageway. There is permanent free access to information about former (geological times) and present landscapes, the wonders of biodiversity and the great challenges of the mountains of the future (water, glaciers, global warming...).

The Ibex is not very shy, especially compared to the Chamois sharing its territory.
Unlike most other mountain species, it remains at altitude even when winter and snow arrive.
It then reaches ridges and snow-cleared areas where it will more easily find grass to feed on. This search for food costs a lot of energy. So, if you see it, do not approach and let it leave quietly in order to avoid wasting its precious energy, especially in winter.

In their nest perched against a rock wall, two chicks will soon emerge from their eggs. Only one will survive: the weakest one will be killed by the strongest! In biology, this behavior is called "cainism".
This phenomenon is common for diurnal raptors, since it is part of the species survival strategy: selecting straight away the strongest in order to increase its chances of reaching adulthood. For the parents, it's indeed a great job to feed a voracious juvenile which, from 100g at birth, must reach 5kg by the time it starts flying!

Beneath the snow and the glaciers, two main rock types form the Mont-Blanc Massif: the sharp edges and the highest peaks are made of very hard granite (from the left to the right: Aiguilles de Chamonix including Aiguille du Midi, Mont Blanc du Tacul, Mont Maudit, summit of mont Blanc) while the rounder - because softer - parts are in gneiss (from the left to the right: Dôme du Goûter, Aiguille du Goûter, Aiguille de Bionnassay,...).

These two so-called crystalline rocks come from the core of the Earth in fusion.

From forest to mountain pasture, Plaine-Joux has not always been a ski resort as reflected in its name, which would mean "forest on a flat space".

As early as the 1930’s, the inhabitants of Passy were already practicing ski activities in this location enjoying a magnificent panorama. It was around 1965 that it officially became a communal ski resort. Even nowadays, Plaine-Joux remains, as well in summer as in winter, a popular family resort for skiing, hiking, paragliding... and contemplation.

Minnows are very common in highly oxygenated waters. Its presence in high altitude lakes is due to trout fishing activities. Used as bait by fishermen, it colonized these mountain lakes.

The Chub is a rather large fish, very widespread in France. It is an omnivore, which means that it eats everything. In many European countries, especially in the east, it is of highly culinary interest.

Kissing a toad transforming it into a charming prince is a myth! You must not touch this protected species, which is sensitive to diseases that humans could transmit.
But you can look it in the eyes to observe its horizontal pupil and its orange iris. You will also notice its parotid glands on the back of its head. They are used to secrete a venom, the "bufotoxin" intended to keep away any possible predator.
The toads and frogs are not the same species; toads live mostly in the forest, out of the water, joining it only during the breeding season !

This amazingly colored lake was probably formed by the landslide of the Dérochoir rock (Fiz ridge to the north) in 1471.
There are several explanations for its emerald green color, including the surrounding vegetation consisting mostly of spruces, which are reflected in its waters. But the presence of blue algae or cyanophyceae in the lake is also a probable cause.
The water comes from sources providing the lake by its surface and underground.

Semi-aquatic, it mainly frequents wetlands but also drier environments hosting its main prey, such as amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders or newts).
It's a protected species, like all reptiles!
It can be identified by its round pupils, its olive grey color and its double black and white or yellow collar shaped pattern. Or by another special feature: when it feels in danger, it spits out a foul smelling liquid and pretends to be dead, revealing its two-colored piano pattern on its ventral surface!

Odonates, more commonly known as dragonflies, are insects.
There are two stages in their lifecycle: a "larva" (or nymph) stage which is aquatic followed by a terrestrial stage, when the adults are grown to adults.
Dragonflies are predators: they are carnivores that feed on different types of prey depending on their stage. They eat other insects as well.
Their distribution is strongly linked to climate conditions and any change has a strong impact on their presence. Destruction of their wetland habitats is one of the main threats to dragonflies.

The alpine cabine is a small building which, gattered with others, forms a small hamlet. These constructions were originally intended for the organization of agricultural life in the mountains. These cabins were used in the summer to shelter the shepherds and their family. They were also used for milking and the production of cheese and other dairy products.

During the 1970s, the wealth of the natural areas of Haute-Savoie were highly conveted. The appetite of promoters and the many tourist development projects raised increased protest. The French State responded by the creation of 9 national nature reserves.

The national nature reserve of Aiguilles Rouges was created in 1974, and a few years later in 1977 the Sixt-Fer à Cheval / Passy nature reserve.

A small territory, settled between these two areas, will become the nature reserve of Passy in 1980.

Some of the alpine cabins are more than a century old.

Construction features at high altitude are strongly related to the immediate surroundings: stones for the walls, basic – but resistant to winter conditions! – framework made out of spruce.

Originally, the roof was covered with ‘tavaillons’, a kind of wooden tiles.

These buildings, used for agricultural activity during the summer, were of rudimentary comfort and housed the shepherd and its owner’s family.

Originally, the word "Ahier" comes from a roman patois meaning Sycamore Maple. The words "pierrières" and "roc" are references to the numerous boulders, evidence of the landslides of Dérochoir, including the one in 1751 which killed 6 people and a few domestic animals. All these cabins were alpine cabins for agricultural use. They are now used as holiday cottages.

There are four species of birch in Europe and the one growing here is the Downy Birch. Its sap and bark have many medicinal properties, and is useful for natural drainage and as a remedy against rheumatism, fatigue or allergies!
In the reserve, birches are monitored as part of the "Phénoclim" program implemented by CREA and intended to measure the impact of climate change on plant cycles.

It is a small tree growing in forest edges. Its fruits are red orange berries loved by thrushes and blackbirds.
The fruits can be used to make to make brandy, jelly or jam. But be aware that they are toxic at maturity, so you have to pick them earlier!
In the nature reserve, the Mountain Ash is part of a participatory science program intended to measure the impact of climate change on the ecosystems of the mountain.

Groundhog is the favorite meal of the Golden Eagle and an important item in a fox diet.
Always vigilant, standing up, it surveys its environment to avoid to be caught. Thanks to a very wide field of vision, and excellent hearing and smell abilities, nothing goes unnoticed. In case of alert, it warns the others with an alarm call: very high-pitched and brief for a danger coming from the sky, whistled and repeated for a danger on the ground. And that danger may be you!

It is the smallest and most discreet of the mountain Galliformes species.
It is much less known than the Black Grouse or the Rock Ptarmigan because it lives exclusively in the forest!
But it is as important as the others from a biological and scientific point of view: it is an indicator species of environmental changes. Its specific demands in terms of vegetation and diversity of tree species ask for an adapted forest management. Bad preservation management of this habitats is one of the main causes of regression of the species.

It is the largest of the 8 woodpeckers present in France. Originally an exclusive mountain species, it is now also found in the valleys! Indeed, it adapts to both deciduous and coniferous forests, as long as they cover large areas and include dead wood and old trees with large diameters.
It is easily recognized by its entirely black plumage enlivened by a bright red spot, limited to the nape on the females and more extensive on the males.

Everything about this bird is exceptional! With a wingspan up to 2 meters, each couple controls a territory as big as 10 000 football pitches! Its X-ray eyes detect prey movements for over 1 kilometer of distance. Its eyes are like magnifying glasses that magnify 6 to 8 times what its perceives and it has a 240 degrees field of vision. In addition to colors, it is able to detect ultraviolet light, a major asset for this great hunter who can swoop down on its prey at a speed of 350 km/h. But no one is perfect: it misses 9 prey out of 10!

It is the largest of all passerines and corvids!
Alternately feared or venerated, it is the hero of myths and legends in many cultures. Persecuted for a long time, it is now protected. The size of a buzzard, it can be specifically recognized by its diamond-shaped tail and its hoarse call. It is an omnivore, which means that it feeds on carrion, eggs, chicks or berries!
The couples, which are united for their life time, carry out aerobatic courtship rituals! Apart from humans, the Golden Eagle is its only predator.

It visits the Haute-Savoie region during the summer. The species is monogamous, that is to say that couples stay together for their entire life!

This bird lives in colonies of different sizes, the closest of which are located in southern Vercors. Especially the young individuals who explore new territories. To feed, this bird is also able to cover hundreds of kilometers thanks to its gliding technique, depending on favorable weather conditions.

Many mountaineers dream of climbing mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe. But it has not always been that popular. In the past, the inhabitants of mountain villages were scared of the mountains environment which led to numerous superstitions, as you can tell from the names given to the summits (“Mont Maudit”, meaning Damned mountain, Aiguilles du Diable, meaning Devil peaks, etc.). Only shepherds, chamois hunters and crystal miners (mining rock crystals) frequented these hostile environments. The first ascents were made by daring "outsiders" who employed these mountain experts as guides.

Le Dérochoir is the result of successive landslides. The first known and documented dates back to 1471. The second and last, at least for the moment, occurred in 1751. At the foot of the cliff stands a huge landslide cone which forms an unstable slope.
These various landslides created a passage making it possible to cross the Fiz ridge.