Chanteloube mountain bike loop

Just 18 to 26 mm long, this little insect has a black head which looks a little like a helmet. The female can be told apart from the male by the presence of a third long appendage at the rear of the body. The cricket’s song is heard from April onwards. The male sings his chirping song from the entrance to his burrow. The fertile females lay their eggs in the ground, which remain there for two weeks before the larvae emerge.

This bush is a resinous evergreen conifer. It is characterised by its greenish to blue (glaucous) needles with a white line on their upper side, and fruits resembling blue-black berries. It usually tends to grow in warm environments receiving plenty of sunlight. It grows in grassy or scrub covered areas up to 2,000 metres above sea level.

Quaking-grass or briza media is a plant in the family of upright Poaceae and can reach a height of up to 80 cm. The leaves are 2 to 5 mm wide. The heart-shaped hanging spikelets are coloured purple, changing to yellow as they mature. They tremble in the slightest breeze, hence the name. This very common grass is found in meadows and dry grasslands.

From the Curattes plateau, visitors can enjoy a picnic table and a panoramic view of the Serre-Ponçon lake, with the imposing Morgon peak in the background. You can also see the coastline of the lake, its wild coves and also the port and seaside area of the Bay of Saint-Michel and the famous chapel of the same name. A little further down is the bridge of Savines-le-Lac. The striking landscape also encompasses the many agricultural and forested areas around Serre-Ponçon.

Located in Chanteloube, this church is through to date back to 1510. It has retained all its authenticity, with its exposed stone. It is dedicated to Saint James, one of the 12 apostles and one of the first martyrs of the Catholic church. Its recent restoration has made it possible to hold the traditional celebrations there, in honour of Saint James. The purpose of each one is to commemorate a historical event connected with the saint. When he died, he was taken to Compostella in Spain, hence the name of the pilgrim's Way of Saint James to Santiago de Compostella, a religious route passing along the shores of the Serre-Ponçon lake.