Haute Vallée de la Touques et affluents explained

Haute Vallée de la Touques et affluents translated as the Upper Touques valley and tributaries is a Natura 2000 conservation area that is 1,400 hectares in size.^[1]

Geography

The area is a very hilly, shaped by the rivers which dug their beds into the limestone formations of the Cenomanian geological layer.^[1] The area features a mix of Beech-oak forests, dry limestone hillsides and also contain bat caves.^[2]

It is spread across 11 different communes within the Orne department and a single commune within the Calvados department;^[1]

1. Aubry-le-Panthou
   1. Avernes-Saint-Gourgon Le Bosc-Renoult
2. Canapville
3. Gouffern en Auge
4. Livarot-Pays-d'Auge
5. Montreuil-la-Cambe
6. Pontchardon
7. Roiville
8. Saint-Gervais-des-Sablons
9. Sap-en-Auge
10. Ticheville

Conservation

The conservation area has ten species listed in Annex 2 of the Habitats Directive;^[3]

1. European bullhead
2. Cottus perifretum
3. Atlantic stream crayfish
4. Marsh fritillary
5. Western barbastelle
6. Bechstein's bat
7. Geoffroy's bat
8. Greater mouse-eared bat
9. Greater horseshoe bat
10. Lesser horseshoe bat

In addition the Natura 2000 site has 7 habitats protected under the Habitats Directive.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Web site: INPN - FSD Natura 2000 - FR2500103 - Haute Vallée de la Touques et affluents - Description.
2. Web site: Haute vallée de la Touques et ses affluents | Conservatoires d'espaces naturels de Normandie. cen-normandie.fr.
3. Web site: EUNIS -Site factsheet for Haute Vallée de la Sarthe. eunis.eea.europa.eu.