Flora and vegetation around Brive-La-Gaillarde
The Brive-La-Gaillarde basin, located in the southwest of France, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, presents remarkable ecological diversity, influenced by the variety of its landscapes ranging from the Causse Corrézien to the Vézère gorges, passing through by Yssandonnais. This mosaic ofnatural habitats offers a living environment for a rich and varied flora.
On the Causse Corrézien
The Corrézien Causse, south of Brive, is characterized by limestone plateaus. The soil is poor, superficial, and does not retain water. Plants have specific adaptations to drought, hence the presence of numerous Mediterranean species. We find there :
- Wild orchids : several species of orchids grow naturally on these limestone soils, taking advantage of spring to flower.
- Shrubs and small trees typical of dry environments : junipers, boxwood, and various species of oaks (particularly downy oak).
- Aromatic and medicinal plants : thyme, savory, wild lavender, which find a favorable habitat in these limestone soils
In the Vézère gorges
The Vézère gorges offer a contrast with the Causse, presenting wetter areas and sometimes acidic soils which support different vegetation:
- Deciduous forests : chestnut trees, oaks (pedunculate, oak), beeches, and ash trees are found along watercourses and on the slopes of gorges, taking advantage of the ambient humidity.
- Wetlands and riparian forests : willows, alders, and poplars line the watercourses, accompanied by ferns, moss and a rich aquatic and semi-aquatic flora.
- Wet meadows and bocage areas : In more open areas, the flora is composed of various grasses, wildflowers such as wetland orchids, and a diversity of pollinating insects.
Through Yssandonnais
Yssandonnais, with its hills and valleys gentler than the gorges and the Causse, is home to mixed agriculture which has shaped the landscape over the centuries. We find there :
- Orchards and crops : notably walnut trees, apple trees and vines, interspersed with hedges and small woods.
- Areas of moorland and heather : on poorer or acidic soils, the vegetation is adapted to these conditions, with species such as heather, broom, and various species of heath.
- The witness mounds topped with limestone soil are conducive to orchids as on the Causse Corrézien.
This region, with its diversity of reliefs, soils, and climates, offers a panorama of the flora typical of the southwest of France, with a specific richness linked to each type of environment. The conservation of these different ecosystems is essential for maintaining biodiversity and the ecological balance of the region.
The forest
The slopes and plateaus of the Brive basin are covered by oak groves. Le chestnut is also almost always present there. Two types of oak groves are represented:
- chênaies-charmaies (the most widespread), fragon, starwort, holostea, conopod, sylvia anemone
- oak-ash groves, bluebell, yellow dead nettle, spotted arum, cleavers, black elderberry, nettle.
This forest can be changing depending on the soil and subsoil, on Cosnac (Puy Delly) or on Sainte-Féréole (Les Saulières). We find conifers that have developed naturally: the Scots pine, the maritime pine or the Laricio pine.
Do not hesitate to borrow one of our many hiking trails in order to discover the nature that surrounds us.
The hedge: a particular and rich environment.
In the first part of the Middle Ages, the lords, very attached to their property, had their fields delimited by hedges, allowing at the same time to show off their wealth. At that time the lords coveted Bas-Limousin, bringing with them prosperity to the region. From this nature, man has been able to take advantage of the enclosure, for the exploitation of firewood, for fruits, for the development of medicinal plants...
The hedges are made up of pedunculate oaks, hornbeams, ashes and sometimes to chestnut trees. Among the shrubs, we note the presence of thehawthorn, blackthorn, then, of therosehip, hazel, charcoal, blood dogwood and sometimes from holly. We can observe them closely when we borrow the numerous hiking trails.
Learn to recognize trees and leaves
The trees you will encounter can be either deciduous (trees, like oak, therefore have deciduous leaves, do not produce resin and their fruits are not cones), or conifers (trees, like Douglas, have needles, produce resin and the fruits are cones).
Did you know that there is 4 kinds of leaves ?
- simple leaves (beech)
- lobed leaves (oak)
- toothed leaves (hornbeam, linden)
- webbed leaves (maple)
And if you want to know more about the flora that surrounds us, theWild Garden association, dedicated to the natural environment of South Corrèze offers nature discovery outings on different themes throughout the year.
You can also borrow one of the 26 hiking trails of our topo guide and set out to discover the plants around us.
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