The Sommand peat bog

This bog is unanimously recognized as the most beautiful and richest in the region, as well as in the northern French Alps.

Description

Its ecological interest, rich flora and easy access have earned it visits from many professionals: botanists, mycologists, etc...
The ecological interest of this peat bog lies in the diversity of its plant communities. In the center are stands of hooked pine (Pinus montana), surrounded or penetrated by (depending on water conditions) :
- Wet Carex meadows.
- Marshy meadows with Menyanthes (Menyanthes trifoliata).
- Dry grasslands with Nard (Nardus stricta).
- Dry grasslands with Bulrush (Scirpus caespitosus).
- Flooded depressions with Carex limosa.

All these groups develop in a relatively acidic environment, which is surprising given that the surrounding rocks are calcareous!

Phanerogams number around 200 species, including :
- 29 species of Cyperaceae, including Carex limosa, Carex pauciflora and Scheuchzeria palustris.
- 7 species of Ericaceae, including the two species typical of sphagnum bogs: Andromeda and Cranberry.
- Orchids include Leucorchis albida in the Nardaie.
- In the moss under the pines, the delicate Listera cordata and a magnificent Gentian (Swertia perennis) thrive.
- Purple gentian can be found in the spikenard lawns, and Drosera obovata and Drosera rotundifolia can be found in the water-logged sphagnum mosses.

The lichen flora comprises some 35 species, among which two French rarities stand out:
- Cladonia carneola and Cladonia bellidiflora

Among the fungi, two rare species are associated with pine:
- Lactarius musteus and Boletus flavidus.

The bog's secondary interest lies in its remarkable aesthetic quality, highlighted by its forests of hooked pine.

Équipements

• Parking nearby

Tarifs

Free access.

Période d'ouverture

From 15/05 to 15/11.

Subject to favorable snow and weather conditions.

Ouverture complémentaire

• Subject to favorable weather

• Subject to snow conditions

Localisation

This is the entire plain below the residences on the Sommand plateau.