Discover Our sensitive natural sites

Leman Mountains Explore is all about exceptional natural sites. The Cornettes de Bises massif and the Dent d’Oche are classified as a National Heritage Site for their picturesque character and the quality of their landscape. Natura 2000 areas such as Mont de Grange and the Delta de la Dranse nature reserve bear witness to the area’s remarkable natural wealth.

The Natura 2000 network

The Natura 2000 network brings together natural sites in the European Union with a high heritage value in terms of the flora and fauna they harbor. Leman Mountains Explore brings together two sites in this European biodiversity network: the Cornettes de Bise massif and Mont de Grange.

The approach adopted by the Natura 2000 network encourages collective collaboration with a view to balanced, sustainable management of the area, taking into account both the economic and social dimensions. The region’s mosaic of natural environments and ecological interest can be seen in its many classified natural sites.

Discover our classified natural areas

The Dranse Delta Reserve

There’s no shortage of measures to protect the region’s riches: ZNIEFF (Zone Naturelle d’Intérêt Ecologique, Faunistique et Floristique), Arrêté de Protection de Biotope (Biotope Protection Order), classified sites, ENS (Espaces Naturels Sensibles), RAMSAR sites (Convention on Wetlands of International Importance), Natura 2000 zones and nature reserves.

One of the region’s major assets is the Dranse Delta reserve, located on a migration route and home to almost 800 species. Managed by Asters, the Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Haute-Savoie, it is open all year round, with free access. Activities, visits and exhibitions are organized at the Maison de la Dranse in Publier.

Discover the Delta de la Dranse nature reserve

Le Mont de Grange

Mont de Grange, a summit shared by three communes (Abondance, La Chapelle d’Abondance and Châtel), is the highest point in Leman Mountains Explore. Its limestone marl and schist reliefs are softer than the limestone of the Cornettes. The massif is home to a diverse range of wildlife: chamois, mouflons, deer, eagles and even rock partridges and ptarmigan.

From lake ecosystems to migratory bird corridors, diverse forests, wetlands and snow-covered combes, this region abounds in breathtaking scenery. The diversity of its flora and fauna testifies to the incomparable richness of its habitats.

Discover Mont de Grange