Protected nature

logo-lvh-projet-transparent-tourWhen we bought La Ville Heleuc in 1976, we had only 2 ha of land. Gradually, new plots were added until almost 20 hectares today. This land suffered ecologically: exploitation of quarries and monoculture of firs were quite common at that time. The old windmill of Isaac Hill became a victim of the quarries. It does not wake any longer over the domain, but would surely enjoy to see the hill overgrown again with broom, gorse, oak and chestnut trees.

The excavation of the former quarry has been filled by spring water when the quarry stopped working, and has now become our big natural swimming pool. Since 2009, La Ville Heleuc is officially a protected area for butterflies, but also bats, owls, deer and other animals do not need to be afraid here. We let nature come to its right again and limit our work to a minimum in order to keep clear about 6 km of walking trails on the property.

Attention please, nature is left wild here – with flowers and ferns, as well as blackberries and nettles (and wild sorrel, which relieves their burning), rocks are sometimes slippery and dead branches or even trees threaten to fall down!