Wildlife Holidays in France

France is the UK’s nearest continental neighbour, and although the two countries share many species of flora and fauna, the natural history experience can be very different. In particular, nature in France still exists at a grand scale, on alpine peaks, within vast wetlands and along unspoiled coastlines. Across these spectacularly varied and beautiful habitats can be found astonishing concentrations of iconic wildlife, including both familiar and more exotic creatures. Naturetrek has been running tours to France for well over 30 years, building intimate relationships with many of the best hoteliers and guides; factor in the superb cuisine, fascinating history and generally pleasant weather, and France becomes an irresistible wildlife destination right on our doorstep.

One thing the UK does not have, which France possesses in abundance, is great mountain ranges and massifs. Western Europe’s highest peaks of all are in the French Alps, where a landscape of towering crags, upland wildflower meadows, and dense forest contains a host of specialised wildlife; amongst the trees are such avian gems as Black Woodpecker, Spotted Nutcracker and Crested Tit, while high screes hold White-winged Snowfinch, Citril Finch, Common Rock Thrush and Alpine Chough. Rocky slopes and high pastures are the haunts of Alpine Ibex, Alpine Chamois and vocal Alpine Marmots, with Golden Eagle and Lammergeier soaring overhead. These grasslands in the sky are also wonderful for plants and insects, with iconic flowers such as Edelweiss, May Lily, Blue Saxifrage and Bearded Bellflower providing a feast for butterflies, amongst them Apollo, Berger’s Clouded Yellow, Scarce Copper and Titania’s Fritillary.

France’s second mountain spine is the Pyrenees, marking the border with Spain. Here, colossal natural amphitheatres sit beneath 3000-metre granite peaks; many high altitude birds are shared with the Alps, but the Pyrenees can be particularly good for Alpine Accentor and the jewel-like Wallcreeper. By contrast, numerous plants are endemic, including Pyrenean Saxifrage, Pyrenean Snakeshead Fritillary, and Pyrenean Hyacinth.

Other lower altitude but equally breathtaking mountain ranges include the Vercors Massif, to the west of the Alps, with its sheer cliffs, deep gorges and sprawling coniferous forests. Further exciting birds found here include Pygmy and Tengmalm’s Owls, Black Grouse, Red-backed Shrike and Rock Bunting, alongside a rich butterfly fauna that features Large Blue, Black Satyr, Southern White Admiral and Great Banded Grayling. Vercors is also one of Europe’s most fertile grounds for orchid-hunters, with some of the many species present including Lady’s Slipper, Woodcock, Lesser Butterfly, Broad-leaved Marsh and Coralroot Orchids. Lower still, the rolling hills and limestone crevices of the Cevennes present a mix of upland and lowland species, with Nightingale, Western Bonelli’s Warbler and Red Deer in the woodlands, and Eurasian Eagle Owl, Griffon Vulture and Short-toed Eagle above and amongst the rugged rocks.

Beyond the mountains, France’s wetland habitats are amongst its most extraordinary refuges for wildlife. The Camargue is perhaps Europe’s most renowned wetland of all, with its endless networks of lagoons, reedbeds, brackish marshes and saltpans. Famously home to free-roaming herds of white horses, it is its birdlife that makes the Camargue truly remarkable. In summer, innumerable species of waterbird raucously breed here, from Greater Flamingo, Spoonbill and Glossy Ibis to Purple, Black-crowned Night and Squacco Herons. Shallower coastal scrapes attract Slender-billed Gull, Avocet, Kentish Plover and Gull-billed Tern, while woodlands echo with the calls of Hoopoe, Golden Oriole and Cuckoo. In sharp contrast is the adjacent desert-like landscape of La Crau, home to localised specialists like Little Bustard, Calandra Lark and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. The Camargue is also France’s best dragonfly site, with species like Orange Featherleg, Orange-spotted Emerald and White-tailed Skimmer, while freshwaters hide European Pond Terrapins and European Tree Frog. Visit in winter, however, and the Camargue presents an entirely different face; gone are the clouds of insects and summer birds, replaced by millions of wildfowl, including huge rafts of Red-crested Pochard and Black-necked Grebe.

Another wonderful wetland area is La Brenne, known as the “Land of a Thousand Lakes”. This is a stronghold for breeding Whiskered Tern, as well as Little Bittern and Garganey, and dragonflies like Dainty Whiteface, Large Pincertail and Dusk Hawker; neighbouring fields hold Red-backed Shrike, Cirl Bunting and swooping flocks of Bee-eater, while the woods hide Roe Deer and Wild Boar. Further to the east is Lac du Der, a huge artificial lake, which twice a year is filled with the sight and sounds of up to 60,000 migrating Common Cranes. In winter, the lakes also host White-tailed Eagle, Smew, Goosander and grazing flocks of Tundra Bean Goose.

France’s rural and pastoral landscapes also retain a wealth of wildlife, with Normandy and the Dordogne offering especially impressive natural history experiences. The former, with its tranquil cattle-grazed meadows and ancient beech woodlands, has birds like White Stork, Honey Buzzard, Melodious Warbler and Middle Spotted Woodpecker, while around 160 species of butterfly include Alcon Blue, Marsh Fritillary and Lesser Purple Emperor. Further south, the Dordogne region additionally presents Black Kite, Booted Eagle, Scarce Swallowtail and Military Orchid amidst its peaceful country lanes.

Finally, and sometimes forgotten as a part of France, is the Mediterranean island of Corsica, with its coastal dunes, scented maquis, blood-red cliff-faces and montane forests of Corsican Pine. Star attractions here are the endemic Corsican Nuthatch and Corsican Finch, while low scrub holds Marmora’s and Sardinian Warblers. Sun-washed slopes teem with Tyrrhenian Wall Lizard, while the damper woodlands are the home of the stunning Corsican Fire Salamander. Corsica is known, too, as the “Scented Isle”, with unique plants including Corsican Crocus, Long-leaved Snowflake and Illyrian Sea Daffodil; feeding on their sweet nectar are butterflies like Two-tailed Pasha and Corsican Swallowtail.

What's Special About France's Wildlife?

Just a few miles across the sea from Britain, France is a world of greatly enhanced natural diversity and colour. Offering a wildness that is often somewhat lacking on our crowded isle, France is home to spectacular wildlife across its Alpine peaks, sprawling wetlands and bucolic rural landscapes. The birdlife is superb, from Lammergeier and Wallcreeper in the high mountains to vast flocks of breeding Greater Flamingo or wintering Common Crane, and vibrant summer visitors like Hoopoe, Bee-eater and Golden Oriole.

Mammal diversity, too, is impressive, with Alpine Ibex, Wild Boar, and Red Deer all featuring, as well as an enormous supporting cast of insects and flowering plants, from the Apollo butterfly to Lady’s Slipper Orchid. The proximity of France (with many destinations accessible by train from the UK) combines with its rich cultural and culinary heritage to make the country a wildlife destination of unparalleled appeal.