A return trip to Col d'Anterne

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

These are livestock guardian dogs, their presence is allowed in nature reserves. They defend sheep and ewes from larger predator attacks, such as wolfs. Often large sized dogs, qualified as "molossoid", they spend their lives protecting herds to which they are very attached.

When approaching the herd, it’s very important to observe carefully the dog’s behavior and to take it in account while respecting the following instructions:
- Stay away from the herd (bypass it if possible) - Announce your presence by speaking out loud to avoid surprising the herd and dogs
- Keep calm and avoid sudden movements, keep walking without running. Talk gently to the dogs so that they get used to your presence and accept it.
- Avoid looking straight into the dog’s eyes and hold an object between you and the dog.

The wolf made his return in France, on its own, since the 90’s. Coming from Italy, the species first colonized the southern Alps, then the whole alpine region.

Since the summer of 2019, there is evidence of its presence in some of the nature reserves of Haute-Savoie, which explains the presence of livestock guardian dogs watching over several herds.

Indeed, the wolf is carnivorous. It feeds mainly on wild animals such as Chamois or Roe Deer. But it can also consume ewes or sheep, especially from unprotected herds.

So in order not to interfere with the work of the dogs, please follow the instructions!

The mountain pasture is a mountain meadow intended to feed livestock (cows, sheep, goats, etc.) during the summer, while the meadows in the valley, which are more accessible, are used for mowing (cutting the grass). The grass, once dried, becomes hay that can be kept for a long time. Livestock will be fed on hay during the winter.

The breeding of milk producing cows was once a tradition. Nowadays, in the Passy Nature Reserve, you can find rather large herds of sheep for meat production.

This large perennial plant, more than 1m high, is found in meadows, moors or forest clearings of the mountain and subalpine levels.
Used in phytotherapy, it should not be confused with the highly toxic False Helleborine – also called White Hellebore-, next to which it grows and which looks very similar!
Only the flowers are not alike, those of the Gentian are yellow. When not flowering, you can use the leaves to distinguish both species: Gentian is opposite-leaved, while the leaves of the False helleborine borne along the stem alternately (alternate-leaved plant).

This cabin, which is more of a shepherd's shelter, was built under "La Pierre à l'Ours". It served as a shelter for a shepherd looking after his herd here until the 1960s. In 1959, the shepherd was 14 years old and watched over 2000 sheep. But where is the bear? To find it, move to the side of the stone and look carefully, it's there!

This protected species almost disappeared from the Alps at the end of the 19th century, mainly due to hunting or poaching.
Various successive reintroductions in the entire Alps region have made it possible to increase the numbers of the populations although the stability of these populations is still threatened.
In the nature reserves of Haute-Savoie, Ibexes are included in the monitored species and research programs intended to study its health conditions or to improve the management of its populations

A wingspan of almost 3 meters, a bright orange body, a red circled eye, black feathers on either side of its beak forming a goatee, were enough to scare the alpine populations who considered the Bearded Vulture as the incarnation of the devil!
Exterminated from the Alps at the beginning of the 20th century, this harmless and majestic bird is back in the alpine skies thanks to the largest animal reintroduction program initiated 30 years ago in Europe.

This corvid bird, a familiar species of mountain environments, lives mainly in noisy flocks, including sometimes an impressive number of individuals, especially in winter, when snowfall at high altitude forces it to come down to the valley to feed! It is often mistakenly called "Jackdaw", a completely different species of corvid living rather in the plains!
The Chough can be recognized by its black plumage, its lemon yellow beak and its red legs. It’s a fan of aerobatics and there is no doubt that their group movements will amaze you!