It is estimated that 130 of these species occur as vagrants or strays. Not only was the planning executed magnificently but the wealth and variety of species encountered combined with the knowledge and conviviality of the guides meant that the trip turned into something far greater than I had dared to anticipate. We’re also going to be taking a closer look at the flowers in the Pyrenees, hence we have Dr Yiannis Christofides joining us for that tour. In mid-July the species diversity is at its peak and it is quite possible to see over 40 species within a short walk from the hotel (our group in 2014 saw 63 species there on the first day!). France - Butterflies in Normandy Tour Code: FRA01. See our webpages for more details on our butterfly holidays. Elaine and John…We had a perfect Greenwings holiday in the French Alps, with wonderful scenery and an amazing array of butterflies. I really love France, especially the southern regions like the Ardeche, Cevennes, Dordogne, Drome, Tarn, Vercors, they have rough nature and the weather is good. #gallery-2 .gallery-caption { The butterfly is found throughout the Palearctic. text-align: center; I’ll definitely be using them again…..the sooner the better! Guides David and Nick as always extremely knowledgeable and helpful, having Richard Lewington with us a real pleasure. Day 2-4: Exploration of Mercantour National Park. Species landing page for Butterflies. margin-left: 0; The females are usually brown above with a blue dusting and orange … European Common Agricultural Policy, much of the French countryside remained fairly backward in terms of agricultural progress during the twentieth century, a land farmed in traditional ways by smallholders practising diversity. These regions are almost totally unspoilt, with almost no human habitation and very limited farming. A 5-day tour, with travel by ferry, to enjoy the many delights of the Normandy region of France, but most especially its excellent variety of butterflies. In France there are a lot of butterfly species and subspecies (about 240!) Explore the various types of butterflies found in the wild, how they differ from each other, and what makes them unique. Our first son was only 10 months old at the time so I went along to look after him while my wife was at work. The combination of the loftiest peaks of over 3,000 m in proximity with the Mediterranean sea has created an area with the richest  flora of any part of France with over 2,600 species. The location provides access to the Tinée valley and eastwards to the Valdeblore region and onward to the Vésubie valley. In the Mercantour we will be located in a lovely small hamlet, surrounded by rich butterfly habitat. The Alpes de Haute Provence is a rugged and unspoiled region of the southern French Alps. We will also visit the higher reaches of the Tinée valley which leads ultimately to the Col de la Bonnette, the highest road pass in Europe at just over 2,800m. 2018.11.29 around 2000 photos from 2017 and 2018 seasons added. He was friendly and helpful and worked extremely … We’ve got 3 butterfly tours in France scheduled for 2015; Eastern Pyrenees, Maritime Alps and The Provence. And that’s the thing about France – there are just so many species (about 237 mainland species, plus a few Corsica endemics) that you never know what you’re going to see. With group sizes limited, you feel at times as though you have your own personal tutor! Butterflies of the French Alps Holiday Report 2019, Butterflies of the French Alps Holiday Report 2018, Butterflies of The French Alps Holiday Report 2017, Butterflies of The French Alps Holiday Report 2016, Butterflies of the French Alps Holiday Report 2015, Butterflies of the French Alps Holiday Report 2014, Telephone from inside UK: 01473 254658  (Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm), Telephone from outside UK: 0044 1473 254658  (Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm), Guided butterfly, botanical & birdwatching holidays. Well over 100 species of butterfly were seen, including several ‘iconic’ ones. But butterflies … A selection of the star butterfly species to see during the holiday include Glandon Blue, Titania’s Fritillary, Mountain Fritillary, Apollo, Small Apollo, Mountain Clouded Yellow, Safflower Skipper, Silver-spotted Skipper, Carline Skipper, Shepherd’s Fritillary, Weaver’s Fritillary, Mountain Green-veined White, Darwin’s Heath, Alpine Heath, Large Ringlet, Piedmont Ringlet, Peak White, Large Blue, Alpine Blue, Purple-edged Copper, Scarce Copper, Great Sooty Satyr, Alpine Argus, Amanda’s Blue, Mountain Alcon Blue, Meleager’s Blue and Duke of Burgundy. TWO-TAILED TIGER SWALLOWTAIL ( Papilio multicaudata) Wingspan 3.5 - 4.5". Roger is leading one, plus we have the enigmatic Tristan Lafranchis again. David is also on the team of the ever popular UK Butterflies online community, where he is an active member and also coordinates the identification service element of the site. The common blue butterfly is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae and subfamily Polyommatinae. Home → Our Holidays → Butterfly Holidays → Butterflies of the French Alps, Price Includes: All meals, accommodation with private facilities, ground transport, services of guides & holiday report, Not Included: International travel, travel insurance, drinks and & other personal items, Conservation Donation: 10% of profits donated to Butterfly Conservation, Leader: David Moore (a second leader will join a larger group). Building Resilience for People and Planet . The whole holiday was just superb. The Mercantour National Park is one of the richest butterfly regions in Europe, with over 150 species recorded from the immediate locality. Marmots are fairly common and easily seen at higher altitudes. David knows France very well for its butterflies and he also speaks fluent French, a handy bonus! The European Butterflies Group Calendar 2021 is available to purchase, £8 each or £15 for two, plus postage from: sales@european-butterflies.org.uk . Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. Our dearly beloved leader Roger was outstanding and if he is runs a trip for Greenwings next year you can put my name down now! The geological diversity of the region and the close proximity of calcareous and siliceous substrates has also contributed with the richness of the flora. Where else could you find someone who could drive you to a dung heap in an isolated area of the French Alps where so many rare and precious butterfly species could be seen in such numbers? Yiannis is a fantastic botanist and a charming and friendly guide, who is always popular on our holidays. Identify a butterfly You can set or adjust your search criteria in the left hand column below. Around 120 butterfly species have been recorded in the Dordogne, twice the number seen in the United Kingdom, while June is the peak flowering time for many species and the flora is outstanding. and I never have to search long to find a beautiful butterfly. Several European Butterflies Group identification guides are now available on the website and a complete, comprehensive Identification Guide to the European Fritillaries can now be downloaded as a free resource (66mb) see here . The aim of the project is to find out what species occur where and whether populations are increasing, decreasing or stable. Other raptors increasingly common in France are hen harriers, Montagu's harriers, marsh harriers, most types of European falcon , buzzards and honey buzzards, red kites and black kites and eagle owls - among others. This is one of our most popular and very successful tours, led again this year by David Moore. We look forward to welcoming you on a Greenwings holiday next year! /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */. margin: auto; Good weather = a lot of butterflies. A very large & distinctive butterfly, mainly found in coastal districts of the Mediterranean, but also in W Portugal, Gibraltar & inland regions of S Spain & S France. #gallery-2 { Mediterranean drier areas host Pyramidal orchids, Lizard Orchids, Dianthus, Psoralea bituminosa, Xeranthemun and Helichrysum. In the present study, we further investigated the interacting impacts of urbanization and local garden characteristics on the total abundance and richness of butterfly communities in France. Peter & Janet…I would say immediately a great trip, the group was really terrific, excellent interaction and our guides absolutely first rate as were the sites we visited and the assistance given by one and all. Jump to navigation Jump to search This is a list of butterflies found in Metropolitan France (including Corsica. Group Size: Minimum of 4 and a maximum of 12 guests plus 1-2 leaders. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The routes to both of these Cols offer a number of convenient stopping points from which to explore and see the species that occur at different altitudes along the way. Peter K, 2017…Very friendly group from wide ranging backgrounds made for interesting bus and evening chats, great fun. They are also some of the most diverse insects in the world and are found in almost all types of habitats. List of butterflies of Metropolitan France. Grade: Gentle pace in mountain terrain. They are highly sensitive indicators of the health of the environment and play crucial roles in the food chain as well as being pollinators of plants. Can sometimes be see in great numbers drinking and sunning along the water. We will be located in a small hamlet of which provides a convenient base from which to explore the Col des Champs to the west and the Col de la Cayolle to the north. Butterflies are a beautiful and important part of the UK’s wildlife. During the ice ages, the tops of these mountains close to the sea remained clear of ice, sheltering a large number of plants which otherwise would no longer exist today. The Wildlife Trusts is a movement made up of 46 Wildlife Trusts: independent charities with a shared mission. margin-top: 10px; What’s more, the leader’s intimate knowledge of the local terrain proved as illuminating as it was productive. Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) Chapman's Blue (Polyommatus thersites) Eros Blue (Polyommatus eros) Amanda's Blue (Polyommatus amandus) Escher's Blue (Polyommatus escheri) Adonis Blue (Polyommatus bellargus) Chalk-hill Blue (Polyommatus coridon) Provence Chalk-hill Blue (Polyommatus hispanus) Damon Blue (Polyommatus damon) Fine alpine meadows are home to Gentians, Potentillas,  Phyteuma, Campanulas, Pedicularis, Violas, Vanilla orchids and Lilum bulbiferum. David knows France very well for its butterflies and he also speaks fluent French, a handy bonus! Day 5: Transfer to Alpes de Haute Provence (organised stops en route). Learn how your comment data is processed. They include the iconic Martagon Lily (Lilium martagon) and a number of species of Houseleek (Sempervivum) and Gentian (Gentiana). Links to Groupings in this List: flying to congregate at the top of hills, where they compete for the attention of passing females. The first edition of the Finance in Common Summit (9-12 November 2020) underscored the crucial role of Public Development Banks (PDBs) in reconciling short-term countercyclical responses with sustainable recovery measures that will have a long-term impact on the planet and societies. Day 6-7: Exploration of Alpes de Haute  Provence. The guides were helpful and very knowledgeable, the hotels comfortable and the door-to-door transport excellent, all topped off by a superb photographic trip report. Dave W…The French Alps trip in July 2014 was an absolutely magical week in the company of like-minded guests and two brilliant guides. BUTTERFLIES are only 5% of the European Lepidoprera. In France and Spain for example I have often observed males indulging in "hill-topping", i.e. Britain’s butterfly population has plummeted in recent years, researchers warned this week, but can you still name the 10 most common ones? Top ten butterflies from the Big Butterfly Count in 2015 The results from the UK’s Big Butterfly Count are in, and we’ve got the top ten most spotted here for you to enjoy By Jeremy Coles Telephone from inside UK: 01473 254658  (Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm), Telephone from outside UK: 0044 1473 254658  (Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm), Guided butterfly, botanical & birdwatching holidays, Butterflies & Botany of The French Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada: The Alhambra and the Alpujarra, The Orchid Garden of England with Jon Dunn, South Africa – Spring in the Western Cape, Moon Moths & More! Local excursion if time permits. It is the  meeting point for many different habitats such as alpine, subalpine, Apennine, Mediterranean and middle European plants. Butterflies apart, there were amazing sights to behold – marmots, chamois, lizards, golden eagles, vultures, rare alpine plants….the list is practically endless. You probably can count Common Butterflies in your backyard on your hands. Dave M…This was the first time I’d been on an organised wildlife holiday. Birds include Golden and Short-toed Eagle and Common and Honey Buzzards. Ideally suited for photography. It is a great resource for anyone interested in the butterflies of France and provides species photos and information, gleaned from Rogers many years of study. More than 750 species live in North America north of the Mexican border. It is also home to over 2,000 species of flowering plants, 400 of which are endemic to the region. Several thousand Chamois live in the park and are frequently seen. France is home to 40% of the short-toed eagles (circaète Jean le Blanc) of Western Europe, with the largest populations in the Massif Central. Home → Uncategorized → Butterflies of France Roger Gibbons, who leads on our French Alps butterfly tour, also has his own website – Butterflies of France . WESTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL ( Papilio rutulus) Wingspan 3.5 - 4.5". In late April 2006, my wife's company sent her to work two weeks in southern France. I can’t wait for Provence 2015! width: 20%; Butterfly watching in England has been (and still is) highly enjoyable over the past four decades but you know you’re unlikely to see anything unexpected. } Common throughout the park but especially in the riparian areas. We shall be visiting a number of species “hot-spots” from this base, ranging in altitudes of 900m to 2,000m and beyond 2,300m. Rocky areas are home to Sempervivum, Sedums and Saxifragas. It is a great resource for anyone interested in the butterflies of France and provides species photos and information, gleaned … If you know which butterfly you would like more information on, use our butterfly A to Z . – Spring in the Spanish Pyrenees, Poland: Białowieża Forest & Biebrza Marshes, Valencia in Autumn: butterflies, birds & dragonflies, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: The Blasted Heath & the Wild North Sea, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: Spring Steals In, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: Nightjar Time, How to use Watercolours to Capture the Beauty of Butterfly Colour, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: High Summer, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: Heather at its Best, A Year in the southern Suffolk Sandlings: Autumn Colours, Mediterranean Minibeast & Macro Safari with Nick Baker, Booking your travels and insurance in relation to Covid-19. If you wish to cram as much as you can into a short period and be in the safe and reliable hands of people who know EXACTLY what they’re doing, then I can’t recommend Greenwings enough. This is a 2 centre butterflying holiday, set amidst magnificent scenery in an unspoilt part of France, where there is a richness of butterflies – both in terms of species diversity and the numbers of butterflies themselves. There are over two hundred and fifty thousand species of butterflies known as […] Butterfly Surveying In France The national butterfly survey scheme in France began in 2005 and is called the Suivi Temporel des Rhopalocères de France (STERF). After all, if the wildlife disappoints, then no matter how good the organisation, accommodation, travelling, etc, then ultimately the trip will prove decidedly unfulfilling. Butterflies of Europe and neighbouring regions (including North Africa) by Patrice Leraut, publication date May 2016, NAP Editions. Perhaps the commonest butterfly in the 70s in England and very common here only 10 years ago, you are now lucky to see one in Poitou-Charentes. Home → Uncategorized → Butterflies of France. David has been visiting and studying the Alps for several years and as such his knowledge of the area and its butterflies is superb and he will be showing us some of the best butterfly hot spots as we search for the areas key species. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. #gallery-2 .gallery-item { Roger Gibbons, who leads on our French Alps butterfly tour, also has his own website – Butterflies of France. You just KNOW that when time becomes an inconsequential dimension that you’re having a good holiday. – Spring in the Spanish Pyrenees, Poland: Białowieża Forest & Biebrza Marshes, Valencia in Autumn: butterflies, birds & dragonflies, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: The Blasted Heath & the Wild North Sea, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: Spring Steals In, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: Nightjar Time, How to use Watercolours to Capture the Beauty of Butterfly Colour, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: High Summer, A Year in the south Suffolk Sandlings: Heather at its Best, A Year in the southern Suffolk Sandlings: Autumn Colours, Mediterranean Minibeast & Macro Safari with Nick Baker, Booking your travels and insurance in relation to Covid-19. on the species richness and total abundance of communities of common butterfly communities across France, using data from a nationwide monitoring scheme. 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