A Moment in Nature

Continuing our way on alternating dirt and paved paths, we come across a beautiful typical farm.

It is made of rammed earth, a yellow soil, with brick corners called “Savoyard corners.”

It is located next to another pond, the largest we will see on our route, Chardonnet Pond.

We lean our poles against the fishery, a typical fish farming structure of the Dombes, and admire the view before us: a blue expanse dotted with small white flowers, then a belt of rushes and reeds, gnarled oaks, and overlooking everything in the distance, the Beaujolais mountains.

All accompanied by the cuckoo’s song and the croaking of frogs.

We continue towards Micholière, another Dombes farm, the path lined with hedges where we see and hear blackbirds, warblers, and tits hopping and chirping. The flowery smell of elder immerses us in this spring atmosphere. After alternating wheat and rapeseed fields, we leave the road again to enter a small wood, the Bois de la Dame. Who is this lady? La Grande Mademoiselle, governor of the principality of the Dombes? The wife of a landowner? A love story now forgotten?

We will not find out. The path through the woods offers welcome coolness as the sun reaches its zenith. The trees shield us from the outside world and provide a gentle silence.

Exiting the wood, we expect to see another pond, but where our map indicates its location, we see only a field. This is the charm of the Dombes: the fish farming alternates between moments when the pond is filled with water and moments when it is dry. From year to year, the scenery of this walk will be different. A melodious song reminiscent of parrots makes us look up. We only see it fleetingly, but its bright yellow color leaves no doubt; it is the European golden oriole. After this rare encounter, we reach the end of our loop.