La Brenne - wildlife of the French lakes (by train)
A ‘wild’ week, exploring one of France’s best-kept secrets as we are transported back to a landscape of yesteryear.
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Wildlife Travel leaflet La Brenne 2024
new holiday
Dates
13th – 20th May 2024
fully booked
Leaders
Laurie Jackson and Jason Mitchell
Price
£1,950
Single Room Supplement – £175
Included
Return train travel from London St Pancras, local transport as specified in the itinerary. Seven nights’ accommodation, full board.
Not included
Refreshments. Gratuities. Travel insurance. Covid tests and associated costs.
Group size
Minimum 5, maximum 14.
Often called the Land of a Thousand Lakes, La Brenne Parc Naturel Régional is located just south of the Loire Valley. A mosaic of fish ponds, lakes, reedbeds, meadows, heaths and broad-leaved forest set in a traditional farmland landscape, makes for a uniquely diverse flora and fauna.
At this time of year Corn Bunting, Turtle Dove and Nightingale will be proclaiming their territories, with dozens of warblers including Savi’s, Melodious, Bonelli’s and Great Reed Warbler among the standout species.
Wryneck, Red-backed Shrike, Hoopoe and Golden Oriole are widespread and common, and nine species of herons can be found here including Purple Heron and Night Heron, and with luck the secretive Little Bittern. La Brenne is home to over 10% of the French breeding population of Black-necked Grebes, and several hundred pairs of elegant Whiskered Terns nest on waterlilies. Perhaps one of the region’s most spectacular birds is the Bee-eater and no trip is complete without a visit to a river-bank colony.
Although best known for its birds, La Brenne has plenty of other wildlife on offer. With large areas of traditionally managed farmland and forest, and their associated flower-rich meadows, wetlands and heath, butterflies and dragonflies abound. An impressive 97 species of butterflies and almost 70 species of dragonfly have been recorded across La Brenne. For the botanist there’s also much on offer, with an impressive 36 different species of orchid found across the Parc. This holiday will appeal to anyone who wishes to enjoy pleasant walks filled with wildlife, with the bonus of travelling by train.
Day 1 After travelling to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (Tours) by train, we’ll make our way to our accommodation at the edge of the Parc, close to the River Claise (c. 90 mins).
Day 2 We visit some of La Brenne’s many small lakes or étangs, where we hope to find Black-necked Grebe, and Whiskered Tern hawking for insects. We will look for the diminutive Little Bittern along with Purple Heron, Red-crested Pochard and secretive Garganey. All the while watching out for early-flying dragonflies including Hairy Hawker, Downy Emerald and Scarlet Darter.
Day 3 Bocage is an important feature of La Brenne; a habitat made up of small fields and thick hedgerows, it is rich in birdlife and other animals. The hedgerows are great for a number of interesting passerines; both Red-backed Shrike and Melodious Warbler are common.
Day 4 The River Creuse cuts its way through limestone and over millennia has formed impressive chalk cliffs along its shores. This has made for a unique microclimate rich in wild flowers with orchids, including Burnt, Fly and Lady. It is here we find La Brenne’s most exotic breeding species, the Bee-eater, and we will spend time enjoying these exciting birds, as they pursue insects.
Day 5 We head for the eastern boundary of the Parc to visit the large Forêt du Lancosme, an area of woodland, heathland and wetland, rich in butterflies and birds. Several species of orchid grow along the forest rides including Man, Bird’s-nest and Monkey Orchids. Small streams and flushes are home to many dragonflies, and Golden Orioles are never far away.
Day 6 The Vallée du Suin in a must for anyone interested in plants. In addition to an abundance of orchids, we’ll find many other chalk-loving species today.
Butterflies are abundant as well, with the Black Hairstreak at its peak and the cheery orange ‘spring form’ of the Map on the wing.
Day 7 We leave things a more open-ended today and our visits will likely see us return to some of our favourite sites from earlier in the week. Our pace is always leisurely but today especially so and this should leave time to enjoy an extra coffee or an ice-cream!
Day 8 Today we head back to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (Tours) and our train home.
Please note that the itinerary may be changed to suit the weather or other practicalities at the discretion of the leaders.
We will stay in a cosy hotel in the village of Martizay on the edge of the Parc Naturel Régional. The hotel is well-situated for our explorations, and all rooms have en-suite facilities with bath and/or shower.
We will be having breakfast and evening meals at our accommodation and where possible meals will have an emphasis on local cuisine. Lunches will be picnic-style and usually followed by a visit to a café.
Transport will be by minibus or smaller vehicles if necessary. La Brenne is not vast, and can be explored without long periods driving.
Group travel
We will travel by train from London St Pancras to Tours. Train schedules for summer 2024 are not yet released, but should be similar to 2023.
13th May depart London St Pancras 12.31, arrive Paris Gare du Nord 15.48; depart Paris Montparnasse 17.31, arrive Tours 18.48
20th May depart Tours 12.13, arrive Paris Montparnasse 13.30; depart Paris Gare du Nord 16.12, arrive London St Pancras 17.30
If you prefer to make your own travel arrangements, you can book the holiday without travel. You would need to meet the group at Tours station or at the hotel in Martizay .
Time zone
France is one hour ahead of UK time.
Entry requirements
If you hold a British passport you can travel to countries in the Schengen area (including France) for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Your passport must be issued less than ten years before the date you enter the country and valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave.
Starting in mid-2025 British passport holders will need to apply for the ETIAS European Travel Authorisation to visit Schengen countries. This must be applied for online prior to travel, at a cost of €7 (free for over 70s). Once granted, your ETIAS will be valid for three years.
The weather should be dry, with temperatures in the low-twenties, although considerably cooler, showery weather is possible.
On most days, we are out and about for much of the day, albeit walking a relatively slow pace and making several stops each day. It is necessary to walk on some rougher ground but none of the walking is strenuous. Walking boots (e.g. lightweight) are essential. The pace will be relaxed, with plenty of time to enjoy the surroundings and take photos as well as stopping to enjoy the wildlife along the way. You must be able to carry your own luggage between, on and off of the trains. The rooms at the hotel are upstairs, with no lift. If you are a slow walker, please contact us to discuss whether any of the walks will be a problem for you.