Fir/beech forest

This forest is both protective and productive. Silver firs are grown for timber; beeches (known locally as fayard) for firewood. But above all these trees serve to keep soils in place, break the wind, and stop the snow. The extreme weather conditions in this mountain environment (fog, violent storms, heavy snowfall, droughts) make forest growth unpredictable. The old beeches have been felled; only tall young trees have been kept to regenerate the beech forest. The creeping pines, planted over 80 years ago, are a frugal mountain species that makes do with poor soils.