The Ariane on mountain bike

View from the car park of Chanterane. We can see the Aigue Agnelle Valley and its peaks: the peaks of the Fond du Peynin, the Grand Queyras, the Foréant and the Pain de Sucre.

View towards the Aigue d'Agnelle valley. Snowy on the left side the Crête des Fonzes leads to the Grand Queyras. At the bottom right, Mount Pointe des Sagnes Longues can be seen. In between both, you can make out the Col Agnel and the border with Italy.

A symbiosis between an alga and a fungus, lichens are both very strong and very fragile. Indeed, they are able to withstand a strong drought and extremely different temperatures (-70 °C / -94 °F to 70 °C / 158 °F). However, they are very sensitive to air pollution, including sulphur dioxide. They are thus good indicators of air quality. Here, you can contemplate two species of fruticose lichens. One has a vivid yellow colour which is due to the presence of a particularly toxic acid: vulpinic acid.

Better known under the name of Marigold, this plant is used in herbal medicine or cultivated in gardens to scare away insects. Its seeds can withstand very low temperatures (-25 °C / -13 °F) and are spread by the wind. These characteristics explain its presence here because it is not its natural distribution area. The Marigold has calming and healing properties. It is used for skin problems, various inflammations, gastric problems and liver diseases.