Wildlife watching in the Rhone Alps

Most of the “big” French wildlife is found in the Rhone Alps region, which includes the biggest peaks in the Alps as well as the Rhone and Isere rivers. Soaring eagles, mountain goats, wild boar, mountain deer, turtles and aquatic plants, the Rhone-Alps contain a wide variety of wildlife, as many as 383 species not counting the thousands of invertebrates.

Many of the species are protected, nationally as well as locally, including 16 species of amphibian, 14 reptiles, 133 birds (EG the Golden eagle), and mammals including ibex and chamois. Of the more unusual species to be found, there is no need to cross the Atlantic to meet a beaver as they live on the Rhône, and France's only breed of turtle is alive and well and swimming in the Isère.

Raptors
The skies are home to the great birds of prey: The Golden eagle, Crested falcon, Egyptian vulture, Lammergeier and many species of falcon, buzzard and owl. Keen ornithologists may spot the Black and Royal kites and Ospreys fishing, and at night, if lucky, you might here the cry of the Shriek owl hunting rodents. The wide variety of raptors resident here is as a result of the wide abundance of their natural prey. Some species are locally common, yet rare in much of their range, like the Boreal owl and Bonelli's Eagle.

Orchids
Wild orchids thrive in the fertile breeding ground blessed by the lime soil of the region. A staggering 20 species have already been painstakingly catalogued. Amazingly, new varieties continue to emerge, such as the 1993 discovery of Epipactis Rhodanensis.

Parks and reserves in the Rhone Alps
The area has 39 reserves, 6 Regional Parks and 2 National Parks, the highest concentration in France.

Sixt Natural Reserve
Founded in 1977, this reserve covers over 9000 hectares of the Haut-Savoie, and is a haven for raptors, Ibex and mountain goats set amongst spectacular Alpine scenery.

Vanoise Natural Park
The largest and most popular reserve in the French Alps, the Vanoise is home to over 2000 Ibex, Chamois, Marmots, Golden eagles, Lammergeiers, Wall Creepers and 120 other varieties of bird.

Parc des Ecrins
4000m high peaks, glaciers, and a host of wildlife including the very rare European Lynx, wolves, mountain goats and Red Frogs as well as a full range of Alpine birdlife.