Typical Bocage area – Saint Laurent (18330)

A wonderful natural site, for its fauna and flora, hides in plain sight along the Parangion Valley, in the village of Saint-Laurent. The 15-hectare Les Prés Bizet is the 24th site in Cher to receive the Sensitive Natural Space (ENS) label awarded by Cher County Council. A long-term project that will finally come to fruition and will preserve the place while promoting it to the public.

Endangered species and protected plants

The site has been open to the public for nearly ten years and includes a recreational space managed by the Vierzon Sologne Berry municipal community and a natural space maintained by the municipality of Saint-Laurent, in collaboration with the Conservatory of Natural Spaces (CEN) Center Val-de-Loire.

Les Prés Bizet represents a typical bocage area of ​​Solonia, with a variety of dry areas (Thero-Airion Park) and wet areas (oligotrophic limestone meadows). It is home to a number of endangered species: butterflies such as the swamp copperhead, pearl thorn and steppe tortoiseshell, as well as the swamp locust. There are also protected plants in the Centre-Val de Loire area: the scarlet orchis, the loose-flowered orchis and the royal osmunda.

The contract was signed by Florence Pierre, Managing Director of ENS, Fabien Mathieu, Mayor of Saint-Laurent, Jacques Toureau, Vice-President of the Municipal Community, and Michel Prevost, President of CEN-Val de Loire. He commits the various parts for ten years. Cher's management is highly committed to its ENS policy, and is dedicated to deploying, protecting, managing and promoting its 24 exceptional sites. Most of them are open to the public and can be discovered via the guide or the “Escapades Nature” mobile app.