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Mont-Ventoux Regional Nature Park

Natural Park · France

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Photo © Gzen92

Photo © Gzen92 — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

ABOUT

Where limestone and marl ridges fold into the Vaucluse highlands, the landscape around Brantes opens into a dry, sculpted Mediterranean terrain of scrub-covered slopes, exposed rock and deep ravines cut by seasonal torrents. This is classic Csb country: mild, wet winters and a summer that parches the ground, so the vegetation reads as garrigue and open woodland rather than anything lush — low aromatic shrubs, scattered oaks, juniper and bare stone holding the heat. The park's ecological character here is one of adaptation and restraint, where water is scarce for months and life concentrates along shaded gullies and north-facing slopes. Wildlife follows that pattern: birds of prey ride the thermals above the ridgelines, woodland and scrub songbirds work the thickets, small forest mammals and reptiles make their living among the rocks, and bats emerge at dusk over the watercourses. It is a landscape of functional, resilient communities rather than spectacle, and that is precisely its appeal.

For photographers and birdwatchers, the rewards come from patience and timing. Early morning and late afternoon light rakes across the ridges, modelling the limestone and picking out the texture of the garrigue, while the summer dry season brings clear skies and long, workable hours — though the heat demands an early start and generous water. Spring and autumn are the transitional windows, when migrant passerines move through the scrub and the light softens. Access is on foot along waymarked trails and old tracks that climb from the valley floor, so a slow approach suits both the terrain and the wildlife; scan the ridgelines for soaring raptors, listen for songbirds in the thickets, and watch the dusk edge for bats and small mammals. Bring long lenses, a tripod for low light, and the discipline to sit still — this is a place that reveals itself to those who wait.

WILDLIFE

Month

Type

Aquila chrysaetos

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

Anas platyrhynchos

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Coturnix coturnix

Red-legged Partridge

European Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Tachymarptis melba

Cuculus canorus

Common Wood Pigeon

Columba palumbus

European Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Gallinula chloropus

Tachybaptus ruficollis

Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Eurasian Dotterel

Eudromias morinellus

Northern Lapwing

Vanellus vanellus

Green Sandpiper

Tringa ochropus

Common Greenshank

Tringa nebularia

Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Western Cattle Egret

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

European Honey Buzzard

Pernis apivorus

Griffon Vulture

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Montagu's Harrier

Circus pygargus

Eurasian Scops Owl

European Roller

Coracias garrulus

Common Kingfisher

European Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Eurasian Wryneck

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dryobates minor

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

European Green Woodpecker

Falco tinnunculus

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Eurasian Golden Oriole

Oriolus oriolus

Woodchat Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Garrulus glandarius

Eurasian Magpie

Western Jackdaw

Coloeus monedula

Lophophanes cristatus

Poecile palustris

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

Lullula arborea

Eurasian Skylark

Alauda arvensis

Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Hirundo rustica

Western House Martin

Delichon urbicum

Long-tailed Tit

Aegithalos caudatus

Western Bonelli's Warbler

Phylloscopus bonelli

Phylloscopus trochilus

Common Chiffchaff

Phylloscopus collybita

Great Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus arundinaceus

Zitting Cisticola

Cisticola juncidis

Eurasian Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

Western Orphean Warbler

Curruca hortensis

Sardinian Warbler

Curruca melanocephala

Western Subalpine Warbler

Curruca iberiae

Common Whitethroat

Curruca communis

Dartford Warbler

Common Firecrest

Regulus ignicapilla

Regulus regulus

Troglodytes troglodytes

Eurasian Nuthatch

Tichodroma muraria

Eurasian Treecreeper

Certhia familiaris

Short-toed Treecreeper

Certhia brachydactyla

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Turdus philomelos

Turdus viscivorus

Common Blackbird

Turdus torquatus

Spotted Flycatcher

Muscicapa striata

Erithacus rubecula

Common Nightingale

Luscinia megarhynchos

European Pied Flycatcher

Ficedula hypoleuca

Phoenicurus ochruros

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Common Rock Thrush

Monticola saxatilis

Blue Rock Thrush

Monticola solitarius

Saxicola rubetra

European Stonechat

Saxicola rubicola

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Oenanthe hispanica

White-throated Dipper

Cinclus cinclus

Petronia petronia

White-winged Snowfinch

Montifringilla nivalis

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Passer domesticus

Alpine Accentor

Prunella collaris

Prunella modularis

Motacilla cinerea

Anthus campestris

Anthus pratensis

Anthus trivialis

Anthus spinoletta

Eurasian Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

Fringilla montifringilla

Coccothraustes coccothraustes

European Greenfinch

Chloris chloris

Linaria cannabina

Loxia curvirostra

European Goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Carduelis citrinella

Serinus serinus

Eurasian Siskin

Emberiza calandra

Emberiza cirlus

Common Reed Bunting

Emberiza schoeniclus

Mareca strepera

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

Northern Pintail

Aythya fuligula

Tetrastes bonasia

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Clamator glandarius

Rallus aquaticus

Baillon's Crake

Zapornia pusilla

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Recurvirostra avosetta

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Eurasian Woodcock

Scolopax rusticola

Gallinago gallinago

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Tringa glareola

Hydroprogne caspia

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Mediterranean Gull

Ichthyaetus melanocephalus

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Ciconia ciconia

Eurasian Bittern

Botaurus stellaris

Egretta garzetta

Ardeola ralloides

Pandion haliaetus

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

Hieraaetus pennatus

Bonelli's Eagle

Aquila fasciata

Circus macrourus

Western Marsh Harrier

Circus aeruginosus

Western Barn Owl

Aegolius funereus

Eleonora's Falcon

Falco eleonorae

Falco columbarius

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Iberian Grey Shrike

Lanius meridionalis

Northern Nutcracker

Nucifraga caryocatactes

Pyrrhocorax graculus

Corvus frugilegus

Riparia riparia

Cetti's Warbler

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatus

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

Melodious Warbler

Hippolais polyglotta

Common Grasshopper Warbler

Locustella naevia

Western Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

Eurasian Bullfinch

Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Trumpeter Finch

Bucanetes githagineus

Acanthis flammea

Plectrophenax nivalis

Emberiza citrinella

Ortolan Bunting

Emberiza hortulana

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

Cairina moschata

Ferruginous Duck

Great Crested Grebe

Podiceps cristatus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Plegadis falcinellus

Black-winged Kite

Elanus caeruleus

Short-eared Owl

Nymphicus hollandicus

Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

Poecile montanus

Eurasian Penduline Tit

Remiz pendulinus

Galerida cristata

White-eared Bulbul

Pycnonotus leucotis

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis daurica

Icterine Warbler

Hippolais icterina

African Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

Western Roe Deer

Capreolus capreolus

Lepus europaeus

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

European Fat Dormouse

Eurasian Red Squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris

Eurasian Beaver

Long-tailed Field Mouse

Apodemus sylvaticus

West European Hedgehog

Erinaceus europaeus

Suncus etruscus

Myotis crypticus

Geoffroy's Myotis

Myotis emarginatus

Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pipistrellus

European Pine Marten

European Badger

Mustela erminea

Mustela nivalis

Genetta genetta

Northern Chamois

Rupicapra rupicapra

Western Red Deer

Eurasian Wild Boar

Myocastor coypus

European Garden Dormouse

Eliomys quercinus

Muscardinus avellanarius

Marmota marmota

Southwestern Water Vole

Arvicola sapidus

Western Mediterranean Mouse

Rattus norvegicus

Greater White-toothed Shrew

Crocidura russula

Schreibers's Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus schreibersii

Bechstein's Myotis

Myotis bechsteinii

Brandt's Myotis

Myotis brandtii

Daubenton's Myotis

Myotis daubentonii

Common Whiskered Myotis

Myotis mystacinus

Natterer's Myotis

Myotis nattereri

Leisler's Noctule

Nyctalus leisleri

Nyctalus noctula

Kuhl's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus kuhlii

Nathusius's Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus nathusii

Soprano Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pygmaeus

Western Barbastelle

Barbastella barbastellus

Brown Long-eared Bat

Plecotus auritus

Gray Long-eared Bat

Plecotus austriacus

Alpine Long-eared Bat

Plecotus macrobullaris

Savi's Pipistrelle

Eurasian Particolored Bat

Vespertilio murinus

Greater Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

Lesser Horseshoe Bat

Rhinolophus hipposideros

European Polecat

Mustela putorius

Common Fallow Deer

View Complete List (272 more) →

COMMUNITY

0 Community observations

No community observations yet — be the first to log a sighting here.

Natural environment

Mont-Ventoux Regional Nature Park

Generally mild conditions, with noticeable seasonal changes.

Usual climateHumid temperate with mild summersUpland · Lowland

Average annual temperature 9.7 °C Average of the twelve monthly means

Average elevation 757 m Upland

Climate pattern Humid temperate with mild summers Also: Temperate with dry, mild summers

A year of temperatures

Monthly means, with the coldest and warmest highlighted

Monthly minimum · January 1.3 °C Monthly maximum · July 19.2 °C

Global temperature scale

−40°−20°0°20°40°

Terrain and elevation

757 m · Upland

Average terrain elevation estimate across the hotspot; the figure does not represent its highest summits.

Elevation scale

757 m

02,0004,0006,0008,000m

Upland

Long-term climate averages, not live weather.

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