Plat Aiguille loop

Prized by mountain bikers, Terres Noires, or black earth, is formed from rocks which erode easily, which explains the presence of installations put in place by the RTM, the Mountain Land Rehabilitation agency. The flows caused by precipitations shape and sculpt these friable marls. In the Alpine region, numerous examples can be seen, in particular on slopes, which vary in gradient depending on the area, which increases the speed of the water flow. In the Southern Alps, the Terres Noires are formed by Jurassic marls. In the Jurassic period, there was an ocean where the Alps now stand. Today, this black earth covers an area of more than 100,000 hectares in the Durance catchment basin alone. 

In order to combat the vagaries of the mountain streams and the resulting erosion, a large number of protection development projects were initiated in the mid-nineteenth century by the RTM (Mountain Land Rehabilitation agency) a service within the French National Forestry Agency. The RTM agency was also responsible for major reforestations campaigns which have reshaped the landscapes of the Southern Alps.

Numerous remarkable trees grow in this forest. The public can learn to recognise their botanical features from the information panels. The silver birch, the European larch, the Monterey pine and many others besides will be encountered along this trail. Some specimens stand up to 40 metres tall, like the European larch.

This canal was once used to irrigate farmland. It starts 8 kilometres upstream of the mountain stream L'Eyssalette, close to the resort of Orres. This canal has been out of use for approximately 30 years. But it is interesting to note that it used to be maintained manually by the local people of Les Orres, Saint-Sauveur and Baratier. This work was carried out in collective maintenance operations.

These distinctive geological shapes attract curiosity. Here, you can get close to them and admire their distinctive shapes right in the middle of the forest. Their appearance is explained by the accumulation of limestone in the dripping water. This is deposited, petrifying a variety of elements such as mosses and twigs.

This high vantage point offers views over the whole landscape of the Pays de Serre-Ponçon - a landscape marked by a long history. In one glance, it is possible to appreciate the richness of the cultural and natural heritage of this territory. There are several vegetation zones, each influenced by natural and anthropomorphic (human) factors. The mountains have undergone numerous transformations over time, which explains the laws that govern it today. Such as, for example, the Mountains Act, which introduced a new structural organisation designed to modernise, develop and protect mountain region.