This long-weekend break is timed toprovide two very specialornithological experiences amid thedelightful rural setting of northern France'sChampagne country. Firstly we visit anarea of three very large artificial lakes tothe east of the town of Troyes, a little morethan 190 kilometres to the south-east ofParis. The Lac du Der is the largestartificial lake in France and was built on theMarne River to hold back water in thespring and thus assist in preventingflooding in Paris. Close by are two othervery large lakes (Lac du Temple and Lacd'Orient) both within the Forêt d'OrientParc Naturel Régional, and built to holdfloodwater from the Seine. As well as thelakes, we will also spend time hereexploring this immense forest whereseveral reserves that have seen little or nohuman intervention for decades havebecome a paradise for many species ofwoodland plants and animals. We could have no better guide on thisholiday, as Tony Williams, who lives locallyand works for the LPO (the Frenchequivalent of the RSPB), is a veritableexpert on the region, with a network oflocal contacts which will increase ourchances of finding the species we arehoping to see. After using the excellent Eurostar servicedirect from London St. Pancras, we willmake the most of our time spent aroundthe Lac du Der looking, in particular, forCranes. Twice every year more than 60,000Common Cranes pass through the area ontheir journeys between breeding groundsin northern Europe and wintering sites insouthern Spain and Portugal. The autumnmigration is quite protracted, but in mid-March, vast numbers arrive at much thesame time and pause here to rest and feedbefore continuing their journey. We shouldobserve many hundreds feeding in thenearby fields during the day andthousands coming to roost in the lateafternoon, filling the air with their evocativetrumpeting calls. As many as 25,000Cranes have been estimated at the roost,making this one of Western Europe's mostspectacular assemblages of birds.The lakes and meadows attract many otherinteresting species. Birds of prey arevaried and plentiful, the most interestingbeing White-tailed Eagle. This is their onlyregular wintering site in France, attracting aminimum of two or three birds every year.Despite their size they are notoriouslyelusive but we hope that local knowledgewill mean that we are rewarded by views ofthese magnificent eagles. Other regular,but difficult to find, raptors include Rough-legged Buzzard, Merlin, Marsh and HenHarriers. Waterfowl are plentiful on thelakes and of particular interest will be raftsof Smew bobbing on the open water and flocks of Bean Geese grazing inwaterside fields.With spring just around the corner, thevanguard of summer migrants will bearriving into northern France and we may be fortunate to observe the first hirundines, Wheatears, Chiffchaffs, andBlue-headed Wagtails of the year, with achance of perhaps spotting a newly arrived Black Kite soaring effortlessly over the countryside. Within the vast woodland of the regionalnature park, several areas have been setaside as reserves in which there has beenno tree management for decades. Sixspecies of woodpecker are resident andthis is an ideal time to find them as thedeciduous trees will not yet be in leaf. Thebirds are therefore at their mostconspicuous as they proclaim territories bybursts of 'drumming' and indulge incourtship displays. During our time in theforest we will hope to quickly find theimpressive Black Woodpecker and shouldalso have little difficulty in locating itssmaller cousin, the Middle Spotted, but thethird non-British species, the Grey-headedWoodpecker is more problematic and oftenelusive in this ocean of trees.Woodpeckers are not the only species ofinterest in the forest at this time of theyear; we will also be spending time lookingfor other local residents such as Short-toedTree-creeper, Crested Tit, Firecrest,Woodlark, Cirl Bunting and, with luck, wemay even hear the melancholy trill of anearly Bonelli's Warbler.As we leave France by train after this briefbut memorable taste of two verycontrasting bird habitats, we should lookout for wayside Crested Larks and thehandsome Black Redstart that may bid usadieu from the rooftops.SPAIN ITALY SWITZERLAND GERMANY BELGIUM CALAIS PARIS LILLE FONTAINBLEAU LAC DU DER TROYES MAGNANT TOURS POITIERS TOULOUSE BORDEAUX FRENCH ALPS STRASBOURG (FROM LONDON ST. PANCRAS)ENGLISH CHANNEL ATLANTIC OCEAN MEDITERRANEAN SEA FRANCE 52Call now or visit www.naturetrek.co.uk for your free Trip ItineraryOutline itineraryDay 1Eurostar train fromLondon St. Pancras toLille. Drive to Lac duDer.Day 2Birding around Lac duDer.Day 3Lac du Der; drive toForêt d'Orient.Day 4Forêt d'Orient.Day 5Early morning birding.Eurostar train from Lilleto London St. Pancras.AccommodationComfortable hotels with en suitefacilities and excellent local cuisine!FoodAll included in the price, except forany meals taken during journeys toand from our French hotels. GradingA. Birdwatching day walks only.FocusBirds.LeaderTony Williams or Bob Dawson.Single room supplement£95.Web quick search: FRA08France - Cranes & Woodpeckers A 5-day birdwatching break, focusing on two contrasting localities innorthern France at the most rewarding time of the year. Friday 9th March - Tuesday 13th March Cost: £695Middle Spotted WoodpeckerCommon Cranes

Situated in the south-east of France,and with a Mediterranean coastline,spring comes early to Provence,heralded by a veritable carpet of colourfulwild flowers. This is truly a region ofcontrasts, from the commercialisedcoastal fringe and the famous Camarguemarshlands in the delta of the Rhône, tothe high mountains of the Alps. Betweenthese extremes, there is another Provencethat is not so well known, an area awayfrom the main throng of tourists, wheresmall villages cling to craggy hilltops, andwhere one can be at peace with themagnificent scenery. This is the charmingcountryside of the Vaucluse, where thehump-backed range of the Montagne duLuberon rises up parallel to the coastalplain to the south. From here the views aremagnificent. To the north, across the highPlateau de Vaucluse, stands the mightyMont Ventoux, its dark wooded flanksrising to a barren white limestone summitat 1,909 metres; to the west lie the jaggedand spectacular rocky crags of theDentelles de Montmiral. During this 2-centre holiday we will bestaying at small, family-run hotels, set indelightful and picturesque village settings,and enjoying tasty local Provençal cuisine.From here we will make daily excursionsinto the surrounding countryside - asoften as possible on foot - in search offlowering plants, butterflies and birds. Ourcarefully chosen locations will give us theopportunity to sample many differenthabitats at varying altitudes, all within arelatively small area.This time of year is the peak floweringperiod for the extremely richMediterranean flora of southern France,with fragrant herbs being particularlynumerous in the maquis. Spurges,brooms, tree heathers, thymes, sages andcolourful Cistusare all characteristic ofthis habitat, while many orchids includeProvence, Lady, Elder-flowered, VioletLimodore, the very impressive GiantOrchid, and a bewildering variety of earlyflowering Ophrysspecies. Amongst thebirds of the area, such summer visitors asHoopoes, Golden Orioles, Bee-eaters,shrikes and warblers should have arrivedto join the resident species, and animpressive range of birds of prey ispresent. Amazingly, over 70 differentspecies of butterfly have also beenrecorded on the wing in April here. Theseinclude such colourful species asCleopatra, Southern and ScarceSwallowtail and Spanish Festoon, plusothers such as Rosy Grizzled Skipper,Chapman's Green Hairstreak andProvence Chalk-hill Blue which arerestricted in France just to this area.On Mont Ventoux, in effect the mostwesterly extension of the Alps, we will finda good mountain flora, including alpinesedges (Carex sp.), the rock jasminesAndrosace vitalianaand A. chaixii, theexquisite little blue Mount Cenis Violet, anAlpine poppy (Papaver aurantiacum) andthe endemic little white candytuft (Iberiscandolleana). Birds on these high slopesinclude Snowfinch, Alpine Accentor, RockThrush, Rock Bunting and, on the tree-line,Citril Finch. Lower down, Crossbill,Crested Tit, Siskin and even Hazelhen maybe found in the pine woods, whilstGoshawk, Redstart and Black Woodpeckerfavour the deciduous woodland.Through the limestone Plateau deVaucluse, rivers have carved their waythrough the soft rock to form spectaculargorges over the millennia. These provide nesting sites for many raptors,including Eagle Owl, Peregrine, andGolden, Short-toed, Booted and Bonelli'sEagle, together with Egyptian, Griffon and,occasionally, Black Vulture. The latter twospecies are starting to re-colonise thisarea from elsewhere, and at one particular spot we should be able to(unusually) observe them from above asthey glide effortlessly by below us. Theflora of these calcareous rocks is also very rich, with typical species includingMontpellier Milk Vetch, Martagon Lily,Nodding Star-of-Bethlehem, pink, yellowand white flaxes and various orchids,whilst nearby meadows hold sheets ofwhite Poet's Eye Narcissus and the littleyellow Narcissus requienii.Across the River Durance, les Alpilles,another lower range of limestone hills,rises up precipitously from the plain, withthe picturesque village of les Baux-de-Provence clinging precariously to itsflanks. These are also good for birds ofprey, Alpine Swift, Crag Martin and RockThrush, as well as being a well-known sitefor the elusive Wallcreeper. From oursecond base we will visit the Camargue,with its herds of white horses and blackbulls, to enjoy its rich selection of wetlandbird species and interesting coastal flora,including Sea Daffodil, Great Sea Stockand numerous colourful pea and orchidspecies. This holiday offers the chance for the all-round naturalist to enjoy a greatdiversity of species at a leisurely pace,whilst at the same time appreciating themagnificent architecture and scenery of one of the most beautiful and tranquil regions of France. 53Outline itineraryDay 1Fly Marseille and driveto the Luberon region ofProvence.Day 2/5Daily programme ofnatural history walksand excursions in theLuberon region ofProvence.Day 6/7Daily excursions in theCamargue.Day 8Fly London.Accommodation Two charming village hotels, withprivate facilities and servingexcellent local food.Food All included in the price.Grading Grade A/B. Easy to moderate walksonly.Focus Plants, birds and butterflies.LeaderMark Galliott or Phil Thompson.Single room supplement£160.ExtensionsAvailable on request.Web quick search: FRA10SPAINITALYSWITZERLANDGERMANYBELGIUMPARISSAULTTOULOUSEMARSEILLEST. GILLESMONTPELLIERBORDEAUXFRENCHALPSMONT VENTOUXSTRASBOURGENGLISH CHANNELATLANTIC OCEANMEDITERRANEANSEAFRANCEBook direct on 01962 733051or see page 280 for Booking InformationFrance - Provence in SpringAn 8-day holiday focusing on the wonderfully rich spring flora, butterfliesand birds found in Provence and the Camargue. Thursday 26th April - Thursday 3rd May Cost: £1,295 Scarce SwallowtailHoopoe