Hiking - Bois de la Faye

This hike explores the area between the lakes and the Bois de la Faye, offering numerous viewpoints of the Monts du Forez, Pierre-sur-Haute, and the Puy-de-Dôme, as well as the Château de Mauzun.

Great Crested Grebe

Due to its clay-calcareous soil, Bort-l’Étang boasts a significant number of water bodies and wetland areas, ideal habitat for the majestic, yet often disliked, Great Crested Grebe. Grey in color, it has long yellowish-grey legs and a long, dagger-shaped beak. Its head and neck are whitish with a black crest and dark markings on the front of the neck and breast. It primarily feeds on fish or amphibians. Its main asset for fishing is patience. It waits for a prey to pass within its reach, then impales it with its beak and swallows the head first. Its majestic flight consists of long periods of gliding before finding a suitable hunting area. It has excellent lateral panoramic vision and very good binocular frontal vision. Its hearing, also highly developed, makes it react to the slightest suspicious noise. It typically reaches a height of 95 cm and a wingspan of 1.85 m, weighing between 1.5 and 2 kg. You will likely be able to observe it from a considerable distance during your hike on this trail, but be patient and bold, and you can approach it!