The Alpilles are a small mountain range, standing out against the flatter lands surrounding the Rhone Delta. At less than 500m high, these soft limestone peaks have a warm, Mediterranean climate and support a diverse assemblage of fauna and flora.
Alpilles cliffs
Historically, the Alpilles are well-known due to the remains of Roman settlements, which can still be seen at the base of the cliffs. Their unique landscapes also inspired Vincent Van Gogh, who depicted the craggy cliffs, cypress trees and warm olive orchards of the area.
Roman ruins
Landscape painted by Van Gogh
The habitats of note in the Alpilles include Mediterranean forests, dry plateaux of garrigue, and intricately eroded limestone cliffs. The forests below the emergent limestone peaks feature a mixture of Mediterranean trees: Aleppo Pines, Atlas Cedars (Cedrus atlantica) and oaks, including the diminutive Kermes Oak. These areas support associated forest birds such as Crested Tits (Lophophanes cristatus), Firecrests (Regulus ignicapilla) and Eurasian Nightjars (Caprimulgus europaeus).
Alpilles pine forest (Pinus halepensis) with an understorey of Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera)
On the limestone plateaux, the vegetation is dominated by a garrigue made up of Phoenician Junipers (Juniperus phoenicea), Grey-leaved Cistus and Rosemary. Wildflowers can be found here throughout the year, including Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) and Winter Savory (Satureja montana).
The garrigue at the top of the Alpilles plateau
Grey-leaved Cistus (Cistus albidus)
These provide important nectar sources for pollinators such as Violet Carpenter Bees and Swallowtail Butterflies, which search for mates by visiting the highest landscape points, or “hill-topping”.
Violet Carpenter Bees (Xylocopa violacea) feeding on Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon)
The cliffs themselves have been extensively eroded by the actions of water and wind, creating numerous cracks and hollows that provide habitats for many species. The Alpilles are one of the best places in France to see the Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Bubo bubo), which nests in the hollows on the cliffs, along with Egyptian Vultures and Bonelli’s Eagles (Aquila fasciata).
In the colder months, the cliffs provide wintering grounds for Alpine species that descend from higher elevations in order to find food, such as Wallcreepers and Alpine Accentors (Prunella collaris).
Limestone cliffs
Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)
We can organise a walk in the Alpilles based on various fitness levels that can take us through the forests of pine and Kermes Oaks, and up onto the plateau where we can observe the amazing limestone formations and plateau wildlife.
Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera)
Limestone cliffs, two holes rock
Students on the Alpille plateau