Col des Orres

A high-pitched whistle echoes across the mountain pasture, the cry of the sentinel marmot warning its companions of imminent danger from above. This warning shouldn’t be taken lightly; the golden eagle will carry it off in its talons to serve as a meal for its offspring.Naturally present on alpine meadows, marmot colonies live as a family with their young until they reach the age of three. Gnawing and digging are their favourite pastimes in between rolling down the slopes. Not to mention a nap on a warm rock and a long hibernation period between October and March..

The undisputed king of the sky, it flies close to sunny slopes to gain altitude in search of prey. The Fournel valley is home to a pair of golden eagles, which can often be spotted in the warmer hours of the day. Some years, the pair does not bother to build a nest and lay an egg, preferring to fly freely. And then one day, the female will lay two eggs, making up for their failure to comply with the law of survival of the species. And here are two young eagles taking flight at the end of the summer, sporting a burst of white at the base of their tails and on the 'cockades' of their wings.