The flora and fauna adventure> Land of encounters
Day 1: Colmars-les-Alpes
alt_route Stage 1 / Canal de l'Adroit trail
The path is dominated by the pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens), present in almost all of France, except the west of Brittany and the far north of France. It is found between 0 and 1 m above sea level. Able to settle on arid slopes, it prefers hot and dry conditions. Its abundance on this path attests to the good exposure of this slope.
To find out more, read the "Mountain slopes" thematic sheet.
This oak is said to be marcescent: its leaves dry on the branches in autumn but do not finish falling until the following spring with the growth of young leaves. If it can sometimes reach 20 meters high on deep soils, you will rarely see it so tall on the slopes of alpine valleys.
Canal de l'Adroit hike
Level: Easy
Duration: 2 hour
Type: Buckle
Length: 4 km
Elevation gain: 187 m (min: 1233 m / max: 1384 m)
Departure / Arrival: Colmars-les-Alpes Tourist Office
More informations: https://www.rando-alpes-haute-provence.fr/randonnee-pedestre/canal-de-ladroit/
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Mountain slopes
The word “adroit” or “adret” refers to all the slopes of a mountain valley which benefit from the longest exposure to the sun. The opposite side, less sunny and colder, is the ubac. This path on the side of the Adroit is thus in the sun all year round.
On the northern slope of the mountain, called “ubac”, the solar radiation is much more dispersed and the heat much more diffused. In addition, the period of sunshine is shorter and, in winter, the sun much lower on the horizon, no longer illuminates this side at all, which then remains in the shade.
Thus, we find certain species of trees depending on the amount of sunshine: spruce and fir, so-called “shade” species because they are content with weak light, are more present in ubac, while so-called “light” species (larch, oak, Scots pine, etc.) which require strong lighting are found more adret.