Carrière Mountain

This limestone hill stretches in the Calestienne of the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse, nestled between the village of Vaucelles and the "boot" of Givet. Overlooking the picturesque valley of the Joncquière, it was once carved by several quarries that allowed the extraction of blue stone, a material widely used at the time in house construction. The biological interest of this vast site is exceptional due to the presence of dry grasslands rich in orchids and unique mountain germander screes (Teucrium montanum) in Belgium! The entomofauna includes many rare species, such as the small bug Copium teucrii, which causes a characteristic gall on the flower of the mountain germander and which is the only known locality in Belgium. The herpetofauna is not to be outdone, with the presence of the spotted salamander (Salamandra salamandra) and several species of reptiles. The rocky character of the Montagne de la Carrière is particularly favorable to certain birds, such as the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) and the black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros). The massif also includes several cavities that serve as roosts for many bats. During the 2000s, the site underwent significant deforestation as part of a recent Life project.

Public access: Free access.
Type: Site of Great Biological Interest (SGIB)

La biodiversité en Wallonie