It is the end of Mai 2024 and I can count the number of sunny days since last October on one hand. 8 months of rain, wind and grey skys. And there is no end in sight. Whilst I am not a fan of scorching heat, I am really sick of this weather, I need some sunshine. For the last few days I have been keeping an eye on the weather forecast. I am looking for a spot where it will be sunny, not too far from here….
In the end I pick a pretty little village in Aveyron called Sainte-Eulalie-de-Cernon. I have no idea what I will find there, but one thing is sure, I will at last get some nice weather ! Crossing the plateau de Millevaches in the morning it is pouring with rain, I can’t wait to leave this miserable weather behind me.
Late morning I cross into Aveyron, the sky has cleared and I stop for a break at a small picknick area not far from Séverac-le-Château. I have hardly gotten out of the car when I spot the pink dot at the edge of the car park. There is no doubt , this is a species of wild orchid unknown to me until now. I am so excited that I even forget my picknick. Admittedly, we are not exactly spoilt in Creuse when it comes to wild orchids. The soil is too acidic for most species. The early purple orchid (orchis mascula) is very common and I have found a few stands of heath spotted-orchid, but that’s just about it.
After a quick bite I head off for a little exploratory tour, hoping to find another specimen of pyramidal orchid in a more pleasant surrounding than the carpark. Big surprise, within a perimeter of 500 meters I find no less than 7 different species, all new to me.
Unfortunately I don’t have time to stay the rest of the afternoon, still a way to go to get to my final destination, but I know that I will definitely have to come back here another time.
The owner of the rented studio at Sainte-Eulalie wants to know whether I am here to photograph the wild orchids, he proudly shows me the information panel on the main square. A few steps from my studio I come across a little artists shop, displaying the most beautiful watercolours of wild orchids in the window. I take it as a sign that my search for sunshine is becoming a search for wild orchids !
During my short stay I was able to explore 3 different sites, I discovered the weird and wonderful world of wild orchids, a world of amazing forms and colours. I counted 25 species in total, one more beautiful than the other. There are the rather unconspicuous varieties such as common twayblade, the big colourful ones such as lady orchid (orchis purpurea) or pink butterfly orchid, the strange shaped flowers of monkey orchid or the delicate tiny blooms of the genus ophrys. In addition , there are numerous fascinating hybrids, as wild orchid species love interbreeding. The parents of the resulting progeny are hard to identify in particular for amateurs like myself.
Luckily wherever I went I chanced upon orchid experts who were more than happy to share their knowlege. You can see all of my photos here: https://karinswildlifediaries.org/?post_type=jetpack-portfolio&p=4970