La Chalp valley

11 points of interest

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  Flora

  Mistletoe

  Along the footpath after the crossing towards the waterfall, the old fruit trees are covered in mistletoe. Mistletoe is a surprising plant species in many ways. It is "hemiparasitic", which means it partly parasites its host (in this case fruit trees). These plants absorb water and nutrients from the host plant that it turns into sugars and protein through photosynthesis. However, there is still a lot to learn about the plant that is probably more "parasiting" than we think. Its latin name Viscum album means "glue" because of the stickiness of its berries.

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  Vernacular heritage

  The Roberts waterfall and dike

  For those who are interested in local heritage, you can make a detour via the Roberts waterfall (10 mins there and back). Downstream, there is an imposing dry stone dike built to protect the hamlet from the stream flooding. Its origin is unknown. Made of huge blocks of granite, it was restored by the voluntary association "Mémoire battante" in 2011 with help from craftspeople belonging to "Pierres sèches, savoir-faire et patrimoine" (Dry stones, know-how and heritage) A canal (béal) bordered with flagstones starts at the foot of the waterfall and ends at the dike.

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  Flora

  Common heather

  Common heather grows on acidic ground, which has sunlight and is well-drained. Here it can be found in the sunny dry heaths of the south facing slope of La Chalp. “La callune” in French gets its name from the Greek kallynein, which means "sweep" In the past its stems were used to make brooms. Heather has fungus at its roots (they are mycorrhized) to help absorb mineral elements from the soil. This combination is particularly useful in such a poor, acidic terrain.

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  Flora

  Common juniper

  This bush also likes the dry sunny slopes. It can be distinguished from other junipers by its single white line on the upper side of its thorns. Its berries are well known as seasoning in sauerkraut and they have digestive qualities in pâtés. Previously these berries were crunched on during cold spells. Mistle thrushes that thrive in the Autumn on this slope, also apppreciate them.

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  Panorama

  The viewpoint over La Chalp hamlet and the valley.

  At 1260 m in altitude, a viewpoint overlooks the valley, the hamlet of La Chalp and its hedged surroundings. In the plain, a network of hedges still border the tracks and delimit agricultural plots. Meadows are generally mowed and are of great floristic diversity. The Tralivernets reed bed, which is also visible from this viewpoint, is home to the marsh warbler: a bird that likes the tall vegetation that grows along the wetlands and streams.

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  Flora

  Orchids

  The dry grassland on these southern slopes are home to a few orchids including the early-purple orchid and the burnt orchid. Orchids are a complex family whose species often change name and classification, as was recently the case with the burnt orchid that has joined the Neotinea group. It is called 'burnt' due to the dark crimson colour at the top of the flower. Further away in the forest on the northern side, forest species such as broad-leaved helleborine and creeping lady's tresses are to be found.

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  Flora

  Green shield moss

  You will need to put your nose close to the ground on old tree stumps, or where there are rotting branches in order to see this minute moss. It is considered as rare and as part of natural heritage. Prospection by the Ecrins National Park wardens is therefore under way. A protocol to determine the threshold for detection of the species has been put in place by statisticians. From April on, it is possible to detect it due to its “sporophytes”, small shiny green capsules that enclose the spores. In the Valbonnais sector, shield moss is very much present in the forests of north facing slopes.

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  Fauna

  Black woodpecker holes

  In the spruce forest, the black woodpecker has paid a visit to old rotting tree trunks. It has drilled holes, in search of bark beetles or carpenter ants that it feeds on. This odd black bird with a red crown is the biggest woodpecker in the Alps. It likes forests with large trees that are spaced out and carves out its dwelling high in the trunks. It incessantly hammers away at tree trunks to seduce a female, defend its territory or even search for food. Once they are abandoned, these dwelling become home to other lodgers such as boreal owls, bees, martens…

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  Flora

  Giant scabiosa

  This giant thistle catches the walker’s eye as it can grow up to a metre high. It does not prick and its large deep pink flowers have pearly borders. This is a nationally protected plant and only subsists in the Alpine arc. It is adapted to siliceous grounds. It can be seen here at the beginning of the summer along the footpath at the edge of the spruce forest.

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  Panorama

  The viewpoint of the valley

  At 2020 m in altitude, the Petit and Grand Chapelet ridges spread to the East up to the Devil's ridges and to the West they reach the summits of Gargas, Chamoux and Colombier. Behind this line of summits, the Obiou emerges descreetly. Further west we can imagine Mount Aiguille and the Grand Veymont. The footpath ends here but the valley opens up overlooked by the Valsenestre Peak and the tip of La Chalp.

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  Fauna

  Chamois

  This high, perched valley is ideal for the peace and quiet that chamois need. Groups of females with their kids, known as “chevrées” often visit the area. The Ecrins National Park is monitoring populations of chamois. Three times as year, with the aid of a telescope, the Park wardens watch over roughly a hundred animals to keep a check on their health. At the same time, in collaboration with the Hautes Alpes Hunting Federation, blood samples are taken from chamois in the selected area to check for possible illness.

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