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To the north of Saint Victor la Coste, the wild limestone hills extend over a rather large area. Covered with scrub vegetation and green oak woods, this typically Mediterranean habitat covers an arc separating the Rhone valley from the foothills of the Massif Central.
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Craggy hills alternate with narrow dry valleys carved out by streams that have now found underground passageways. Now the flow only when a violent thunderstorm empties onto the countryside.
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Water is rare here, even though many places in the hills are named after natural springs, such as "Fontmanime" - font meaning natural spring in the old language of southern France, Provençal.
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The limestone bedrock is visible everywhere and the slopes are filled with rock slides in those places where vegetation has not found a hold. Most of the hills, as they rise toward a small plateau to the south, are covered with green oak. These thick woods are cut on a rotating basis, offering what was once an important revenue to the villagers, that still supports several small lumber companies.
The green oak, growing often in thickets, makes up the basis of the woods. On the rockiest areas, the vegetation thins out, the highest plants being the occasional boxwood or juniper.
The climate is quite mild, but the Mistral wind, very dry and gusty,
can be quite violent. It is known in the region for its ability to clear the sky of any clouds, bringing the famous bright sunlight of Provence.
Even though the soil is dry and poor, the hillsides awake in the spring
to a blanket of wildflowers of all colors, varying from orchids to dwarf iris, from the tiniest blossoms to the familiar red poppies. |
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