
Le Fourneau
21290 ESSAROIS
France
Col de Collebasse
83350 La Croix-Valmer
France
Leave with the association S'PECE for an educational and playful walk in the exceptional setting of Cap Lardier. You will discover its secrets, the richness of its fauna and flora as well as the ability of Nature to recover from the recent passage of the terrible fire of 2017.
Committed to raising awareness of current environmental issues, the S'PECE association takes you on a hike that will introduce you to the biodiversity and geological history of the Port-Cros National Park area, and the importance of preserving it.
The Mediterranean rim is a hot-spot of biodiversity, with exceptional but fragile natural riches. The environments it shelters are subject to numerous pressures and threats, including fires, which are very frequent in the region. Discover how Mediterranean ecosystems are capable of recovering from such events over the long term! It's an experience based on observation, discovery and raising awareness of the importance of preserving biodiversity.
Departing from the Col de la Collebasse, the outing takes you through the scrubland to the crest of Gigaro, offering a breathtaking view of the Capes and the commune of La Croix-Valmer. Coastal and rock birds (peregrine falcons, shearwaters) are always a surprise to be seen here, especially during migration, when their long journeys sometimes stop off in the area. The descent to Pointe de Brouis takes you gradually down towards the coast, to reach the Mediterranean edge, after encountering the characteristic flora of these dry, warm environments (rockroses, mastic trees, heather). The climb back up the forest track is a gentle one, allowing us to appreciate a few reptiles sunning themselves along the way (Montpellier's garter snake, two-striped lizards, etc.) and to regain our view of the ridges and the stigmata of the recent fire in the area. An immersion in a preserved Mediterranean coastal environment to admire!
The trail is easy and accessible to children aged 7 and over. Don't forget to bring your picnic, as there will be a lunch break.
Adult = €12
Children (under 16): €8
Group (10 people) : €110
Please note: Places are limited!
Friends since the end of their studies, Vincent Mariani and Geoffrey Gillet met at the turtle village in Gonfaron in April 2016.
Vincent, the Toulon native has just completed his master's degree in Biodiversity Management and is looking for an internship. Geoffrey, originally from Senlis and with a master's degree in paleontology, is looking for a job and is doing his civic service at Soptom*.
As roommates for 6-8 months, we realized that we had the same ethics and similar desires..." says Vincent, "like creating a structure that would aim to raise awareness about the environment.
"We took advantage of an intermediate period to work on the project," continues Geoffrey, who invested a lot of time in setting up the association named S'PECE, which was born in January 2017. The acronym stands for "Sensibilisation à la Protection de l'Environnement et la Conservation des Espèces" which is the essence of the project "with an important axis: the preconceived ideas and the unloved animals: snakes, sharks, foxes, wolves...".
A look at the catalog of activities, workshops and training courses offered by the association is impressive..
We intervene with all the publics, but the children remain our priority, because the future is them! Schoolchildren represent 70% of our activities, but we also work with the BTS in Nature Management and Protection and with the eco-tourism licenses of the University of Toulon.
S'PECE, which also runs stands and workshops at numerous events throughout the region, is now raising awareness among a very large public (about 5,000 people per year). Vincent, who works at the Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturelles-Paca du Var, is the president of the association and Geoffrey is the salaried representative (education and conservation). Requests are pouring in..
But we want to remain an associative structure on a human scale, managed by volunteers, because the objective has never been profitability. We are nevertheless very proud to have built something that works and that the message passes. We are starting to be known, and working with the National Park of Port-Cros through the brand Esprit parc national for our naturalist outing at Cape Lardier. It is an important recognition for us, because it attests to the quality of our services.
Boulevard Abel Faivre, Quartier de Gigaro
83420 La Croix-Valmer
France
Avenue du Commandant Rigaud
83820 Rayol Canadel sur Mer
France
Boulevard Abel Faivre, Quartier de Gigaro
83420 La Croix-Valmer
France