The first week was spent with a Naturetrek tour staying in the Hotel Valfleurie in Lans en Vercors, which was good and friendly. After that the two of us transferred to Briancon near the Italian border, staying at the Hotel le Cristol, which was good, though some rooms overlook the main road to Italy and are probably noisy. It also helps to speak French better than we did! The hotel does do excellent food, has plenty of parking and the owners are nice people, but with less English than my schoolboy French!
Part 1 - The Vercors
21st July
We met the group at Lyon airport then transferred to Lans en Vercors, picking up Black Kite and Montagues Harrier on the way near Grenoble airport, as well as mating Mallow Skippers. Otherwise, the best bird was a fly-over Purple Heron not far from Lyon. Highlights otherwise were singing Serins around the hotel!
22nd July
First full day in the field, stopping at a meadow at Les Merciers with a confusing array of butterflies, a couple of Red Helleborines where we parked but no sign of the potential Wallcreeper, though we didn’t look hard. On then to the Foret du Bouchet then Les Buryeres, when we were rained off at 4.00pm.
23rd July
Rain early soon broke to a fine, warm day with sun and scattered cloud. First stop Bois de Mures for Ghost Orchid. We eventually found 4 spikes plus a single Creeping Ladies Tresses, a couple of Ep. Microphyla and a decent Ep. Muelleri, as well as Dark Red, Broad-leaved and several hybrid Helleborines.. Photographed most of these! Then on to St Julien en Vercors before climbing to Font d’Urles where we rather fluked 5 Griffons and a couple of Peregrines en route. Although breezy, some butterflies were about including Western Brassy Ringlet but the Vanilla orchids were burnt out from the recent heat wave. Alpine Chough was common, the Linnets were very pale and the flower highlight was Fairy Thimbles growing out of a limestone sink-hole.
24th July.
Lots of birthday cards and a very generous chocolate cake in the evening on a fine, sunny if chilly day. We spent much of it botanising the Route Forestale de Moliere. One meadow held a good selection of butterflies while the road-side stop had several Orchids including, frustratingly, Globe well gone over. We then moved on to Meaudres before stopping for final break at the Gorges de Bornes at les Jarrards.
25th July
We drove through the Gorges de Bornes on a fine, warm, sunny day, stopping for mosses and frogs at the Tunnel d’Arbois then up to the long, south facing rock face above Presles where there were stacks of butterflies and breeding Alpine Swifts and House Martins. We had lunch at the recently mown meadow at Fontane de Petouze – the adjacent meadow was as yet untouched and not covered in French campers. A nearby pool had lots of emergent Southern Hawkers but nothing more exciting. Last stop was the ice cream bar at Pont en Royane followed by the nearby buddleia bushes along the river for, amongst other stuff, lots of Humming-bird Hawkmoths.
26th July
We drove to Moliere then walked a way along the ridge seeing several species of Ringlet, while the walk back in the grazed meadow was notable for two species of Grizzled Skipper.. In the evening we visited some fishing lakes in the Isere valley south of Grenoble for European Beaver, seen at c 20.45 and a couple of times after, plus Scops calling, Nightjar and several species of dragonfly.
27th July
Today we went south to Gresse, stopping at an area of meadows below the town, where we saw Yellow winged Darter and stacks of Marbled Whites etc, before working our way along a road to a car park above the town. Bird highlight was Ring Ouzel. The road was very good for Orchids including 2 species of Fragrant, Burnt-tip, Twayblade and Pyramidal etc. One sheltered track in the sunshine had stacks of butterflies including) Oberthurs Grizzled Skipper, Damon Blue etc and a Lizard orchid in full flower. Our last stop was at the Ghost Orchid site – no new ones but those we found earlier were fully emerged and posing in the sunlight.
Part 2 - Briancon
28th July
Transferred to Briancon via Avis at Lyon airport. The road south-east goes through more open country than the Vercors with lots of open mountain grassland, grazed or otherwise. either side of the valley. Stopped four times along D1091 at major lay-bys, picking up new butterflies in the shape of Knapweed and Glanville fritillaries, as well as Silver-studded Blue by the small lakes at Deux Glaciers. Birds en route included possible Citril Finch, Rock Sparrow, Red-backed Shrike, Griffon and Short-toed Eagle, while the trees round the Hotel Cristol in Briancon had Melodious Warbler.
29th July
First full day in area and we drove towards Vallouise, stopping first at the marked parking area on the back road from Briancon. Abundant Lavender along the tracks were full of insects, new butterflies including Meleagers Blue, Safflower Skipper and Sooty Copper. A further stop by the river got us Carline Skipper at lunch. We then drove up through Vallouise and stopped at Allefroide, a very busy ski-ing/walking centre. An hour along one track through woods and small open areas got us Mountain Green-veined White, Carline Skipper and Provencal Fritillary with a number of Heaths. Birds were a bit disappointing but included Crested tit, Short-toed Eagle and Dipper
30th July
In warm sunny weather we drove up to the Italian border along the Montgenevre valley, checking the meadows between the town and the border. Birds included fly-over Nutcrackers and Western Bonellis warblers feeding young. Large Ringlets were everywhere as were Silver-studded Blues and a few frits. After lunch watching Crag Martins we drove up to Nevache, stopping at various places en route, highlights being lots of Apollos and a late hatch of Eschers Blues.
31st July
Another hot, sunny day with temperatures reaching 35C in the valley. Spent the day in the Vallouis/ Puy St Vincent area, firstly near the park offices, then up in the meadows around the 1600m station. Lots of big frits around with Dark Green, Niobe, Silver-washed and Queen of Spain. A blue in the meadows by the 1600m station was interesting and proved on detailed investigation to be Silvery Argus. No birds of particular note but Val found her own Dipper! The park offices had a lot of interesting stuff including a detailed book on the insects of the region, but in French, so hours of fun ahead. At least we can i/d the grasshoppers and bugs!
1st August
Another hot one but storms were en route. We stayed round the Briancon area but a walk behind the Champ de Mars car park on the edge of the old Cite de Vaubun produced The Hermit as well as Pallid and Alpine Swifts in the flocks of Commons, Crag Martins. There were also some obvious migrants in the shape of Common Redstart, Pied Fly and Wood Warblers in the trees by the entrance to the old city.
2nd August
After rain overnight, a fine start soon turned cloudy and there were a number of showers. We visited the Alpine Garden at Col de Lauturet, a nice place with plenty of orchids in the area all gone over except for some Fragrants. It was cold and cloudy so insect life was absent, including the continuing curious absence of odonata on the small lakes in the area. One highlight was Black Woodpecker flying across the road on our way back. The weather towards Vallouis was better and a walk along the track by the car park was fruitful to say the least with five new butterflies, Autumn Ringlet, False Grayling, Red-underwing Skippers, Dusky Heath and a stray Mountain Clouded Yellow. Add to this Sooty Copper, Great Sooty Satyr, Great Banded Grayling, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Small and Large Skippers, Apollo, Small and Large Whites, Meleagers, Chalk-hill, Common and Eschers Blues, Brown Argus, Silver-washed and Marbled Frits and it seems the lavender and Echinops are a very strong draw.
3rd August
A cool morning and overcast so we drove along the Vallouise valley to the Station Blanche, walking up from the meadows but with limited success except a worn Dusky Meadow Brown. By lunchtime the weather had cleared and we drove to the 1800m station at Puy St Vincent. Scarce Coppers were common, as were Silvery Argus but there were too many tourists. A quiet walk past the maintenance depot produced marmots, several Serins and Purple-edged Copper plus Titanias frit, Mountain Clouded Yellow and two small wood white sp, probably Eastern.
4th August
In clear, warm, sunny weather we drove up to the alpine meadows by the Refuge Napolean at the Col d' Izoard. What a site! Orchids included several hundred Musk, good numbers of Fragrant and lots of Vanilla Orchids about 2 weeks over, plus loads of general alpine plants. Nutcrackers, wheatears, redstarts and some fly-over redpolls were good but the butterflies took it with Alpine Heath, Grisons, Shepherds and Mountain frits, Silver-spotted Skipper, False Mnestra and Marbled Ringlets and Eros and Glandon Blues amongst stacks more, with lots of moths etc for good measure. After lunch we drove down to the extended camp-site at Le Laus, full of tourists, truckers and hundreds of butterflies, with puddling blues including Turquoise, lots of frits and ringlets and the odd Apollo for good measure. A superb day!
5th August
Rain overnight and cool conditions decided us to check out the shops and cafes towards Col de Lauteret. Even the lavender bushes were quiet with just the odd Meleagers and Sooty Copper, while the track nearby had Baton Blue.
6th August
The weather again turned hot and sunny, so we planned a change of scene and drove south to the Lac de Serre-Poncon past Embrun. Apart from a few gulls, highlights were several Western Bath Whites and a Tree Grayling. A good place if you have kids but almost devoid of nature. Back into the mountains and the small lake and picnic site south of Argentiere la Bessee was very much better with some common damsels and dragons and several butterflies including a tatty Lesser Purple Emperor and another Tree Grayling. Again it was full of revellers but would repay more attention. We then ventured a little way up the Val de Fournel but the road is very busy and very narrow so we turned round and headed for Briancon. Our last stop was a (loo-stop) track off the Montgenevre road which was alive with butterflies and an unexpected bonus in the form of several Marsh Helleborines.
7th August
We had a low key last day in the Briancon area, driving up to Neveche in cold, clear conditions but it warmed up rapidly later. Highlights in the flower meadows on GR-57 above the village was a fresh Southern White Admiral and a male Redstart, while working our way back down the road produced little else of note except good numbers of Crag Martins and puddling blues in a large picnic site by the river.
8th August
Back to Lyon and the tender mercies of Easyjet, but we arrived back at Stansted on time
Reflections
A good near-three weeks with a number of highlights in superb country. If we were returning we would possibly stay outside Briancon in the Villeneuve/Chantmerle area where there are several hotels. We would also look at flying into Turin, which may be closer than Lyon.
Photos
Available as usual on my website http://overstrandnature.fotopic.net/
Maps
We used the IGN Vercors and Ecrins maps (numbers 10 and 5 in the Parc Naturel series, bought in UK, but we found maps are generally easy to come by in the area and IGN (www.ign.fr) publish excellent local maps for the general area.
BUTTERFLIES:
Large Skipper Regular throughout
Silver-spotted Skipper Col d'Izouard
Lulworth Skipper 10 + Presles 25/7
Essex Skipper Regular throughout
Small Skipper Regular throughout
Marbled Skipper 1 nr Gresse 27/7
Safflower Skipper 1 vallouise road, 29/7
Mallow Skipper Mating pair 21/7 nr Grenoble airport
Rosy Grizzled Skipper 2 probable La Moliere 28/7
Carline Skipper Regular in 3rd week
Cinqefoil Skipper odd records probably this form Briancon area
Oberthurs Grizzled Skipper Scattered Records throughout
Red-Underwing Skipper 4+ "Lavender bushes" 2/8
Apollo Regular throughout
Scarce Swallowtail Scattered Records throughout
Swallowtail Scattered Records throughout
Eastern Wood White 1 probable Puy St Vincent
Wood White Scattered Records throughout
Black-veined White Scattered Records throughout
Large White Regular throughout
Mountain Green veined White 1 or 2 Allefroide 29/7
Small White Regular throughout
Western Bath White several Lac de Serre-Poncon 6/8
Mountain Clouded Yellow Common Col d'Izouard 4/8, otherwise scattered records thrird week
Berger’s Clouded Yellow Scattered Records throughout
Clouded Yellow Odd records, especially south of Grenoble 28/7
Cleopatra 1Vercors area 25/7
Brimstone Several south of Grenoble 28/7
Ilex Hairstreak Odd records throughout
Scarce Copper Scattered Records throughout
Purple-edged Copper 1 female Puy St Vincent 3/8
Sooty Copper Scattered Records Briancon area
Small Copper 1 nr Grenoble Airport 21/7
Little Blue Scattered Records throughout
Large Blue 10 + Presles 25/7
Damon Blue Scattered Records throughout
Common Blue Scattered Records throughout
Chalk-Hill Blue Common
Idas Blue Occasional throughout
Silver-studded Blue Regular throughout
Reverdins Blue Not definitely recorded
Meleagers Blue Common "lavender bushes", scattered records elsewhere
Silvery Argus Common, Puy St Vincent and Le Laus
Holly Blue 1 Presles 25/7
Eschers Blue Scattered records Le Laus, "lavender bushes", Nevache
Chapmans Blue Odd records throughout
Brown Argus Regular throughout but confusion with next species
Mountain Argus Regular throughout
Eros Blue Several Col d'Izouard 4/8
Glandon Blue 1-2 Col d'Izouard 4/8
Turquoise Blue Several la Laus 4/8
White Admiral single Fontaine de Petouze 25/7
Southern White Admiral Scattered records throughout
Small Tortoiseshell Scattered records throughout
Red Admiral Scattered records throughout
Mountain Fritillary Several Col d'Izouard 4/8
Shepherds Fritillary Several Col d'Izouard 4/8
Heath Fritillary Common throughout at lower levels
Provencal Fritillary 1 Allefroide area 29/7
Knapweed Fritillary Regular throughout at lower levels
Glanville Fritillary Several along roadside south of Grenoble 28/7
Silver-washed Fritillary Regular throughout at lower levels
Dark Green Fritillary Regular throughout at lower levels especially 3rd week
High Brown Fritillary 1 or 2 Briancon areaa
Niobe Frtitillary Several Col d'Izouard 4/8
Marbled Fritillary Regular throughout, especially 2nd/3rd week
Grisons Fritillary Several Col d'Izouard 4/8
Titian’s Fritillary Scattered records throughout
Spotted Fritillary Regular throughout, especially first week
Speckled Wood Scattered records throughout
Wall Brown Scattered records throughout
Large Wall Brown Scattered records throughout
Lesser Purple Emperor 1 L'Argentiere la Bresse 6/8
Dusky Heath 1-2 "lavender bushes" 2/8
Alpine Heath 2-3 Col d'Izouard 4/8
Pearly Heath Scattered records throughout first week
Chestnut Heath 1 Puy St Vincent 31/7
Small Heath Scattered records throughout
Gatekeeper Scattered records throughout
Dusky Meadow Brown 1 Station Blanche, Puy St Vincent road 3/8
Meadow Brown Regular throughout at lower levels
Arran Brown Common throughout
Common Brassy Ringlet Several Font d'Urle 23/7, Col d'Izouard 4/8
Water ringlet 2-3 Les Merciers 22/7
Almond-eyed Ringlet Scattered records throughout
Large Ringlet Scattered records throughout especially nr Montgenevre
Autumn Ringlet Regular from 2/8
Scotch Argus Regular Vercors area
False Mnestra Ringlet 1-2 Col d'Izouard 4/8
Marbled Ringlet 1 Col d'Izouard 4/8
Marbled White Common throughout
Great Banded Grayling Regular throughout
Rock Grayling Singles probably this species Les Merciers 22/7, Presles 25/7
Hermit 2-3 on Cite walls above Champ de Mars CP, Briancon 1/8
Tree Grayling 2-3 Lac de Serre-Poncon and L'Argentiere la Bresse 6/8
Grayling 1 "lavender bushes" 2/8
Dryad 1 apparently pairing with Gt Banded Grayling Pont de Royon 25/7
Great Sooty Satyr Common throughout especially at lower levels
False Grayling Several "lavender bushes" from 2/8. The "lavender bushes" are along the main track from the car park on the Vallouis road at N44.50.594, E06.34.603
ORCHIDS
Pyramidal Orchid Regular Vercors area
Red Helleborine Les Merciers, La Moliere
Dark Red Helleborine Regular Vercors area, several La Laus
Broad leaved Helleborine Regular Vercors area
Ep microphylla Odd plants Bois de Meures & nr Fontane de Petouze
Ep muelleri At least one, Bois de Meures
Ghost Orchid 4 spikes Bois de Meures
Creeping Ladies Tresses 1 only Bois de Meures
Vanilla Orchid sp Burnt out, Font d'Urle, La Moliere and lots Col de Lauteret & Col d'Izouard
Fragrant Orchid sp Regular throughout, at least 2 spp Common and Marsh
Lizard Orchid Scattered records Vercors area
Twayblade Odd records Vercors area
Birds nest Orchid Several gone over Bois de Meures
Burnt-tipped Orchid 1 below Gresse
Robust Marsh Orchid Several gone over Nevache
Common Spotted Orchid Odd plants La Moliere
Frog Orchid Several gone over Col d'Izouard
Round-headed Orchid 5+ gone over Route Forrestale d'Autrans
Musk Orchid Lots Col d'Izouard