Roc de Chère National Nature Reserve
Roc de Chère National Nature Reserve | |
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Location | Haute-Savoie, Rhone-Alpes, France |
Coordinates | 45°50′40″N 6°12′16″E / 45.84444°N 6.20444°E |
Area | .69 km2 (0.27 sq mi) |
The Roc de Chère National Nature Reserve is a major ecologic site in southeastern France. A protected nature reserve since 1977, it covers a small area of 69 hectares (170 acres). It is located near the commune of Talloires, on the eastern bank of Lake Annecy at an elevation of 448 metres (1,470 ft). The Roc de Chère is a small mountain, culminating at a modest 651 metres (2,136 ft), which was formed by a quaternary glacier from the south.
Etymology
The word Chère comes from the pre-Indo-European root *car-, which was used to designate a stony material, a rock. This significance is not entirely understood, hence Chère became a proper noun and "Roc" (modern French for rock) was added and is not considered a pleonastic reinforcement.
Geography, morphology and history
The reserve is located between the communes of Talloires and Menthon-Saint-Bernard. There are numerous trails along the rock that offer superb panoramas overlooking Lake Annecy. The rock plunges down towards Annecy via impressive cliffs 50 to 70 metres (160 to 230 ft) tall. From atop one can see the lapiaz, calcareous rocks eroded by water that are also found in Savoie.
Formerly
As a result of differing calcareous and
- Plants that are relics of the glacier era (lichens, Carex limosa, etc.)
- Plants that are typical of the subalpine elevation (Rhododendron, Lycopode sélagine, etc.)
- Plants belong to submediterranean communities (such as Acer monspessulanum, Rubia tinctorum)
Glaciers have left a
A large wildlife population has also found refuge in the reserve. Among the birds one can find the Eurasian crag martin and peregrine falcon that nest in the cliffs, as well as the black kite and yellow-legged gulls.
On Sunday 21 June 2009 at 2:30 in the morning, three young men were killed and two seriously injured after their
Touristic interest
The tomb of the french philosopher and historian Hippolyte Taine is in the reserve.
References
- ^ "Accident sur le lac d'Annecy: trois morts". Le Figaro (in French). 2009-06-21. Retrieved 2010-09-08.