The National Nature Reserve of the Island of Girard
Every summer, Air Corsica offers you direct flights at the beginning of Bastia bound for Dole in the Jura mountains. This region has various natural richness such as the nearby nature reserve of the isle of Girard.
Situated not far from Dole, you have access to the National Nature Reserve of the Girard island by the Gevry municipality. It is situated in the heart of the lower valley of the Doubs. From there you may discover more than 120 species of rare birds but also a flora consisting in 400 different botanical species.
An educational trail of about two kilometers, accessible to everyone, crosses the reserve from north to south and enables to visit it entirely in less than 1h30. It is punctuated by reading tables, question-answer terminals about birds and mammalians, a table with trapdoors to discover, throughout the seasons, various species.
With regard to the flora, the richness of these alluvial soils unduces a lush vegetation where live 330 plant species. With regard to fauna, the wild and humid aspect of the place, its climate relatively mild and its privileged position are in favour of 120 bird species to make them stay in the nature reserve. In addition to the birds, you may be surrounded also by some 30 mammalian species such as the forest cat, the aquatic shrew, the roe deer, The wild boar, the fox, the marten…
At the end of the mole, you may reach by a secondary path (in the West), an observatory in which you may find out, according to the period, various migratory species. Back on your old footprints by continuing on the main trail, you will get into a nice path surrounded with shrub species (dogwood, spindle-tree, Elderberry…). This part of the path is situated in the wilder place of the nature reserve. It ends up nearby a water body where you may observe the wildlife. The trip back follows the Doubs river and its sandy shores and then go through the breakwater.
The path is punctuated by information boards in the matter of wildlife all around.
Getting into the wild, Air Corsica offers direct flights in the summer, bound for Dole in order to visit the National Nature reserve of the island of Girard.
