The Col de l’Escrinet
The Col de l’Escrinet is a key crossing point for migratory birds in the Ardèche. The Col de l’Escrinet reaches an altitude of 787 metres and is located between Aubenas and Privas, in the Ardèche département. It overlooks the Ardèche valley and the Languedoc plains to the south-west, and the Rhône valley to the north-east. The pass is at the triple point where the communes of Gourdon, Saint-Étienne-de-Boulogne and Saint-Priest meet.
Here you can watch migratory birds (more than 120 species). Every season, the Ligue de protection des oiseaux en Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (LPO ) actively monitors these migrations. You can find a list on this page. Many birds of prey can be seen here in spring and autumn.
Golden eagle, Bonelli’s eagle, Circaête, Bearded vulture, Griffon vulture, Black vulture, Osprey,
Also found here:
Red kite, Honey buzzard, Common buzzard, Marsh harrier, Kestrel, Pellerin, Sparrowhawk, Lesser spotted owl.
The Col de l’Escrinet is also a stop-off point for many other birds.
White storks, black storks, great cormorants, black-headed gulls, tree chaffinches, chimney swallows, skylarks.
There are also :
European starlings, grey wagtails, meadow pipits, reed buntings, common skylarks, black swifts, red swallows, whip-poor-wills, tichodromes, wrynecks, hoopoes, cuckoos, etc.
Geographically, the Col de l’Escrinet is traversed by a narrow volcanic dyke that emerges from the marl-limestone substratum. It forms the northern extremity of the Coiron massif, a massif characterised by a spectacular inversion of relief: a few million years ago, volcanic flows invaded valleys carved out of a marl-limestone substratum. Today, these flows are well above the surrounding terrain.
Itinerary Mas de la Fontenette – Col de l’Escrinet
The Col de l’Escrinet is only about an hour’s drive from Mas de la Fontenette. This 4-star gite in the Ardèche, with heated swimming pool and wellness area, is a holiday rental in the heart of the Ardèche gorges, with spa, sauna, exercise bike, table football and petanque area.
