Courmettes prepares to welcome you
These days we are still in “in-between” weather at Les Courmettes. On the one hand, it is still cold and wet: we even woke up to three centimetres of snow on 19 March! Our winter projects are still in progress, such as the renovation of a flat and the burying of part of the telephone line, and we hope to carry out other work before the start of the season, which has been postponed until at least mid-April, since we are now confined for four weeks. Our hiking trails remain open for those who live within 10 km as the crow flies!
On the other hand, however, spring is beginning to show itself, as witnessed by the migratory birds of prey that take advantage of the Courmettes thermals to reach their nesting sites, the butterflies and other insects that are beginning to emerge, the first giant orchids that are blooming, and this Ocellated lizard observed on March 15 warming itself on a stone.
Oscellated lizard. Photo David Nussbaumer
But it is in anticipation of this beautiful season that we are actively preparing to welcome you to Les Courmettes. First of all, the programme for our 2021 residential events is almost finalised. This year we are once again offering several seminars open to all to explore the links between Christian faith and nature conservation, and holidays more oriented towards the discovery of the fauna and flora of Les Courmettes. Among these, we offer an “Eco-Adventure” camp for children aged 7 to 12 and a Discovery and Nature week particularly adapted to families. In all cases, friendly and stimulating vacations in a magnificent natural setting await you!
Secondly, we hope to welcome a good number of volunteers again. This year we are offering five volunteer assignments to help us welcome and inform hikers and visitors, to host groups and trips, to carry out our conservation and naturalist monitoring projects, or… a bit of all this at once! Join us for a volunteer stay, from three weeks to several months, or on a regular basis if you live nearby. We look forward to involving you in our mission to welcome and preserve the heritage of Courmettes!
If you wish to enjoy the natural surroundings and discover Les Courmettes at your own pace, you can also stay in one of our gîtes. The “Marronniers” gîte (sleeps 6) was completely renovated in spring 2020, while the “Panoramique” gîte (sleeps 9), although a little more rustic, offers a large terrace with an incredible view of the French Riviera and the Mediterranean. Don’t delay in booking!
Finally, we are still finalising our programme of nature outings. Discover butterflies, star-gazing, botanical walks, beekeeping workshops, bat evenings, come and discover the wonders Courmettes’ marvellous flora and fauna in the company of passionate leaders!
So… see you soon at Les Courmettes?