Vallon de Versannes

Perched on a seafront hillside, the Vallon de Versannes has been reclaimed by spontaneous vegetation since farming practices in the area were abandoned.

In the past, Versannes was a wine-growing hillside. Sailors used to make their wine here and take it to sea. Then this farming activity ceased.
The site remained derelict until the mid-1970s, when sheds gradually sprang up.
The Department of Loire-Atlantique first acquired the land in the 1980s.

Covering an area of around 3.5 hectares, the Versannes valley site is also known as the "hell hole" (a nickname coined because a large fault, now filled in, used to fill with water at high tide).
The landscape of the site is marked by the return of varied vegetation.

All the evolutionary phases of the coastal landscape can be found on the site:

The usual flora of these habitats can be found here.

It is also worth noting the presence of a number of species that are rare in the département, and very rare at national level, such as :

In the grassland areas, the puff orchid adds a pinkish hue in spring, while the autumn spiretta marks the end of summer.

At the far end of the site, from the cliff overlooking the Crève-Cœur and Boutinardière beaches, you can see the typical landscape of the Côte de Jade with its fisheries... and the large numbers of fishermen on foot during high tides.

From this vantage point, you can also spot seabirds such as :