Les carrières de Guizengeard

Nature has reclaimed its rights on this former kaolin quarry. The result today is a truly fascinating corner of nature, where walks are a real pleasure!
The old clay quarries at Guizengeard
Its industrial history is similar to that of the Touvérac quarries located a little further west. The oak and chestnut groves here were replaced by open-cast quarries. Kaolin, a white clay so pure and fine, was mined here for years by the AGS company before the site was sold in 2018 to the Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Nouvelle-Aquitaine as part of the environmental compensation linked to the construction of the Sud-Europe Atlantique high-speed line (LGV SEA).
All these areas have been created by man, but for what purpose? The aim is to make the site suitable for a large number of species. The wetlands will be revegetated to create refuge areas for semi-aquatic mammals such as the amphibian vole. But this is no simple task, as industrial activity has uncovered materials that acidify the water. The pH of the water is below 3 (pH equivalent to vinegar), complicating the development of aquatic life. However, this phenomenon is reversible, and the newly-created ponds have escaped it, making it possible for the aquatic life to thrive. The resulting landscape offers unusual panoramas, alternating between open spaces and wooded areas.
Maritime pine dominates the site's woodland today, because it was planted as part of the quarry rehabilitation project in 2000. The Conservatoire is now working to restore deciduous species to their rightful place in the landscape. Successive thinning will help to achieve this goal, but patience will be required as the forest is slow to evolve.
The open spaces are mainly made up of moorland with heather and coloured gorse, sometimes alternating with grassland or wetter areas. This is why there are numerous ponds on the site, as well as areas that are flooded for only part of the year. These areas can provide breeding sites for the agile frog and the southern tree frog.