The Villars secrets

11 points of interest

• 

  Flora

  ENS de La Bruyère

  The hill of La Bruyère received the departmental label sensitive natural area (SNA) in 2005. In this context, several plots were purchased by the Luberon Regional Park and the Conservatory of natural areas in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in a natural heritage preservation objective. These courses are open to the public only on marked trails and within siliceous preservation of this unique island.

• 

  Panorama

  This path is of gold, ochre and vermilion ...

  This route, This route, away from the Calavon, flowing between the massifs of the Monts-de-Vaucluse to the north and Luberon to the south, enters the wooded hill of La Bruyère rising above this agricultural valley dominated by vineyards. It includes ochreous soils and cliffs quite colourful, hidden in part by a woodland takeover. This vegetation is used to sandy soils which are a minority in this limestone Provence.

• 

  Flora

  La Bruyère hill

  Like a siliceous island in the middle of a limestone ocean, the hill of La Bruyère (listed and labelled as an environmentally sensitive area) contains a flock of siliceous (silica-loving), acid-loving (likes acid soils) and psammophile (preferring sand) plants. You can come across many species of amphibians (like the Western Spadefoot), birds (such as the European Bee-eater) and bats (like the Greater or the Lesser Horseshoe Bat, the Common Bent-wing Bat).

• 

  Fauna

  Trou des Américains pond

  This wetland is rooted in the ochre activity of the site and served to store the water used for washing the ochre. This is one of the best preserved ponds of the Luberon Regional Nature Park which is a part of the known breeding sites of Western Spadefoot (or Spanish Spadefoot Toad). This rare and vulnerable species in France is considered near threatened globally. With "spades" in its hind feet, it hides in the sand until it rains!

• 

  Patrimony and history

  Landslide danger!

  As holed as cheese, the hill of La Bruyère is pierced with ancient galleries dug by hand. It was an important place for the extraction of ochre. Then, a number of them were transformed into mushroom growing areas. Today, there is no longer human activity. Some have become refuges for large colonies of bats. It is strictly forbidden to enter the galleries (private property), due to frequent landslides and to avoid dramatic disturbance of bats.

• 

  Fauna

  The Common Bent-wing Bat

  The hill of La Bruyère hosts the largest transit site of Common Bent-wing Bats in the Luberon. This bat feeds on moths. Very sociable, it settles in clusters in ochre galleries. Its protection is primarily based on tranquillity, especially since the closing of holes with grids is harmful to the Common Bent-wing Bat, because its flight, hard to manoeuvre, does not allow it to move easily between the bars.

• 

  Flora

  Chestnut from acid soils

  A small island in the middle of the limestone mountains of Luberon and the Monts-de-Vaucluse, the ochres are home to species of trees that do not grow in limestone. Thus, the chestnut enjoys this ground as it enjoys the sandy soil in the Var department further to the south.

• 

  Fauna

  Lesser Horseshoe Bat

  A true little fur ball, this bat weighs only 2 to 5g. The species has a distinctive horseshoe-shaped nose. When roosting and hibernating, the Lesser Horseshoe Bats hang free and wrap their wings completely around their bodies, resembling a pear hanging free. In winter, it occupies ochre galleries. In summer, the females use the huts as maternity wards. Be careful not to disturb them! It is strictly forbidden to enter the galleries and huts (private property), due to frequent landslides and to avoid dramatic disturbance of bats.

• 

  Fauna

  A hut as a maternity ward

  In the fields nearby, huts were built to provide shelter and storage. Today abandoned or restored, they are privileged and coveted places by female bats. A true maternity ward, these huts, heated by the sun, are suitable places for birthing and nursing the young.It is strictly forbidden to enter the huts (private property) to avoid dramatic disturbance of bats.

   

• 

  Patrimony and history

  The Saint-Pierre de Bagnols chapel

  The present chapel was rebuilt in the 18th century, after shepherds noticed construction marks leading to the excavations. In the nave, three limestone plates carry the Gallo-Roman inscriptions dating from the 1st century and another medieval inscription of the 11th century. At the time on the site, the Gallo-Romans worshipped Sylvanus (roman tutelary deity). In the Middle Ages, this chapel was erected, built by the Black Monks of Villeneuve, forest settlers.

• 

  Patrimony and history

  Dry stone, stories of mankind

  On Monts-de-Vaucluse, they can't be missed! Small walls, pens, retaining walls for terrace fields, or bories They are everywhere.! The construction of these small dry stone structures began when man had to clear his land of stones in order to cultivate it. So what to do with this excess of stones. ? From there came the idea to pile them up in order to build pens, tame slopes or make shelters for men and tools.