EYGALIERES - Stroll of the Gros Calan

Les milieux ouverts sont un terrain de chasse pour le Percnoptère d’Égypte, vautour menacé au plumage blanc et au masque jaune. Jusqu’à une époque récente, une grande part de son alimentation venait des carcasses que les éleveurs de brebis et de chèvres laissaient dans la nature. Les Alpilles accueillent désormais des placettes d’équarrissage naturel qui permettent aux éleveurs de déposer des carcasses et de proposer une ressource alimentaire qui avait été retirée des milieux naturels.

The village of Eygalières as well as the ruins of the castle at its summit, are the last vestiges of the castrum of Aigueria, of which the first writings date back to the 13th century. The village was originally built on a small rocky ridge, allowing its inhabitants to protect themselves against possible attacks, before expanding on the surroundings. The name of Eygalières is closely linked to water, as indicates its Latin name "Aquilaria" or in Provencal "Eigaliero".

A Calan is a hard limestone escarpment formed between 160 and 90 million years BC. These cliffs are the remains of an ocean presence in distress. Indeed, the Tethys ocean was here during the Jurassic period, the same period that saw the water level decrease. It was then that massifs such as the Alpilles ridges or as the calans were formed. Here, you can distinguish the Gros and Petit Calan because of their size.

If you look up, you will see the Opies massif. This massif, a bit away from the Alpilles, is characterized by a series of ridges where the highest point is located in the territory of the Park: the Opies, at 498m of altitude. From the lookout tower which symbolizes the summit, you can see up to the Alpine peaks! Nevertheless and despite its imposing presence, this massif is fragile and it is advisable to roam other peaks capable of receiving visitors.

Returning from the Sahara for the summer period, the short-toed snake eagle Jean-in-the-blank, Circaetus gallicus, is a raptor with a wingspan of 1.80 m and he can weigh up to 2 kilos. He has the top of the brown wings and the white underside. Its body is dotted with colorful spots, colour and density depending on the individual (between light beige and dark brown). It hovers for a long time in the manner of vultures to hunt its prey, mainly reptiles!

If you see the Kermes oak trees around you, keep an eye out, and the right one! As you could probably see the Dartford Warbler, characterized by its eye circled in red, fond of Kermes oaks. This species has little adaptability, making it dependent on the Mediterranean natural environment and vegetation of low altitude and high density. An insect-eating bird, it also seems to feed on plant material during the harshest season. Do not disturb it!