A Walk in the Woods

 

A short tram ride from Montpellier is the bedroom community of Lattes. Apart from winding suburban streets lined with suburban homes there’s not much of interest. Well, there is the small Roman archeological museum, which we will definitely visit once things open up again. But what draws our attention today is the large nature preserve. We’ve visited it before, but winter is coming—to an end, and I am interested in following the change of seasons by regular visits to this area, called le Site Naturel du Méjéan—the nature site of Méjéan.

It was a cool misty morning...

...and things were still wet and muddy from recent rains.

This is no car trip; 20 minutes on the tram takes us to Lattes, and another 10 minutes walking the winding suburban streets leads us to the wooded path. From there it’s straight along a  winding path to a shallow coastal lake called un étang. Along the way we pass marshy wet lands, horse pastures (sometimes complete with horses!), wooden bird blinds, and, these days, nesting storks.

I like the intense green and browns.

This has always been a marshy area, crossed by drainage ditches and small ponds.

The morning was misty and the ground muddy; it had rained a few days earlier. The mist lent a mysterious aspect to the long green corridors, but burned off by the time we reached the edge of the étang. Rising up across the water was the town of Palavas-les-Flots, two or three kilometers distant.

Looks like everybody is paring up!

These aerial condos are filling up, too!

We’re indifferent birders, but we were pleased that our friends were not. It’s always great when someone identifies different species, with comments on their habits and behaviors! This is the nesting season, and all the stork platforms had tenants; perhaps on a subsequent visit we’ll see some baby birds. 

This is decidedly a watery area! Ponds, streams, pools...

This sculpture represents a vouivre, a mythical yet terrifying creature that has always haunted the imaginations of the people living in these marshy areas; it was said to sallow up intruders it found on the lonely paths through the swamp.

On our way back through the suburbs of Lattes we had another discovery: this 13th century church!
Yet another reminder that people have been living here for a very long time.

This was our second visit to Méjéan, and certainly not our last! Now that spring has sprung, I expect to see weekly changes to the trees, the brush, the birds. I don’t imagine we’ll get there that often, but I am looking forward to going again! 

 

 

Well, our friends Mark and Mary have moved on; back to Paris, to be precise. They were living there for a couple of years before their visit to Montpellier coincided with the pandemic lockdown, and were just as happy to be out of the city. We will certainly miss them, but it is yet another inducement for us to visit Paris!

 

Meanwhile, I am still working on my driver’s license, having missed the first exam. I expect it will be finalized this month, and we’ll be ready to get back on the road. But of course, all plans these days must include an escape clause!

27 Feb 2021

 Montpellier