Observer les oiseaux sur les pittoresques rochers du Saussois (Yonne)

Burgundy is particularly known for the picturesque landscapes of the limestone cliffs dominating the vineyards of Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and Beaune, in the department of Côte-d’Or, but there are also beautiful rock walls in the valley of Yonne, in the department of the same name: this is the case of the rocks of Saussois, located near the village of Merry-sur-Yonne, about thirty kilometers south of Auxerre and 200 kilometers from Paris. This rocky ensemble, popular with climbing enthusiasts, is made up of limestone cliffs some fifty meters high overlooking the river.
The return in 1998 of the nesting of the Peregrine Falcon in this sector from where it had disappeared, necessitated finding solutions to make climbers and birds of prey live together: a Prefectural Biotope Protection Order was instituted to protect the breeding sites, and a charter for the proper use of cliffs, distributed to all climbing clubs, has been put in place. These measures were effective, and it is still possible today to observe the Peregrine Falcon on the rocks of Saussois, but also other species of rock birds. In addition, in winter, the Eurasian Wallcreeper is regularly observed on the limestone walls, as well as on the church of Merry-sur-Yonne.
Thanks to Jean-Paul Leau, administrator of the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Yonne, we propose you a presentation of the avifauna of the Saussois rocks, with some good birdwatching spots.