Bergette Natural Forest Area

From the town centre, take Rue du 8 mai 1945, and continue to the end of Rue de l'Île Cartier.

1/ At the information point, follow the Marne towards the village of Chamigny.

2/ At the second information point, turn left and pass the ruins of Bergette castle.

3/ Follow the path to the D 80. Cross the road to access the second part of the forest.

4/ Continue along the path until you arrive at a fork where the path splits into two.

5/ Turn left and continue to the information point.

6/ Turn around and then take the second path and continue to the last information point.

7/ Retrace your footsteps to the car park.

• The pronounced relief of the wooded slopes dominates the bottom of the valley, which is much more open, a reminder of the crops that used to be planted there. Between these two geographic entities are the ruins of an old castle. On the wooded slopes, history bears witness to human activities. The many holes that can be seen in the forest are a sign of the quarrying of millstones in the 18th and 19th centuries. However, the activity never achieved the same industrial level as in Barre Forest, which is very close to Bergette Forest. Charcoal also used to be produced here.
• Between the slopes and the Marne stand the ruins of Bergette castle. The site has been inhabited since the Revolution, but at the time, a farm used to stand on this site. The construction of the railway line in the 1850s helped to modify the valley and made it more accessible. The imposing residence, which can be seen on some old postcards, was built around the end of the 19th century. At the time, the castle dominated a park leading down to the banks of the Marne. In the 1920s-1930s, a cooperative, with close links to the Communist party, offered workers and their families the chance to enjoy the countryside at low prices. The site was at its zenith when paid holidays were introduced in 1936. The property was improved with the addition of a garden, maintained by several generations of gardeners. An article in the Humanité newspaper in 1926 makes reference to "two parks with an abundance of chestnut trees, poplars, lime trees, fir trees and other, rarer, trees". Today, there are still signs of ornamental trees which are now part of the surrounding wilderness. The estate's fate changed dramatically in the Second World War, when the main building was pillaged and destroyed. Later, the area on the banks of the Marne was separated from the property and has been farmed up until very recently.
• Layout and management: Connection between a variety of natural environments: The changing topography and the variety of natural environments on which humans have left many marks (ruins, road, railway line) makes a visit to the site a rich and delicate experience. The works carried out by the Departmental Council provides access between the banks of the Marne and the wooded slopes via a network of footpaths adapted to the ecological characteristics of the ENS. The most interesting natural areas are located on the wooded slopes with, in particular, the presence of some exceptional beetles which live in the dead wood, and nesting birds of prey (buzzards and sparrow hawks). This is why the wooded slopes have undergone very few works in order to ensure that the presence of humans is very discreet. The ruins are too unstable to be approached and have been completely fenced off but they can be admired from a side path. Only the cavities where bats live have been secured in order to prevent vandalism and encourage the presence of these animals. The bottom of the valley offers a rich selection of plant and animal life but the works have helped to improve the area's ecological potential. Around the railway line, a pasture has been sown and fenced off for grazing. The planting of trees and hedgerows aims to recreate the rural atmosphere which can be seen on old postcards. The banks of the Marne will flourish over time. An orchard comprising five varieties of pear trees was planted in 2012 on the large pasture with the support of the Association les Croqueurs de Pommes and the schoolchildren from Limon School in La Ferté-sous-Jouarre. The old varieties chosen ensure the preservation of the the rural heritage. The orchards are also of great interest in terms of their biodiversity because, as they grow, they provide a home to many plant and animal species.
• Biodiversity: Bats: Unknown and unloved, bats are, nevertheless, fascinating animals. With six different species identified in 2010, the Bergette Forest ENS is of great interest to bat specialists. The site offers varied hunting areas and/or feeding areas which these small mammals love. It is possible to classify the bat species identified in ENS into three categories: Species which usually live near urban areas: the Common pipistrelle and the Serotine bat; forest species the Common noctule and the Lesser noctule; aquatic species, including the Daubenton's bat. The Whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus-Kuhl, 1817) has also been spotted on the site. This small bat measuring between 19 and 22.5 cm and weighing 4 to 8 g has been seen hibernating and flying thanks to the ultrasound waves it emits. The life cycle of the whiskered bat is similar to that of other European insect eating bats. Its annual cycle comprises two major contrasting periods. In the winter, the absence of prey forces it to remain inactive until the spring in cold and damp caves. From the spring to the autumn, the whiskered bat is active: it changes feeding areas and even geographic areas, sometimes covering several dozen kilometres. It settles in the fissured parts of buildings, bridges and the cavities of old tree trunks. The whiskered bat feeds on flying insects (mosquitoes, tipula-commonly called "daddy long legs" and butterflies). Its hunting territory is very varied, ranging from urban areas to woods and including parks and gardens. The ENS offers a multitude of zones to be explored for this species: the castle's old park, the edge of the forests, the banks of the Marne, the side of the railway line, ruins and houses. Animals under threat: One of the main threats is the disappearance of their feeding areas, especially those used for breeding, including in our houses. In the summer and the winter, the sites occupied should not be disturbed. Bats are very shy. In the summer, they may abandon their nests and abandon their young thus putting the entire breeding colony at risk. In the winter, visits to cavities sheltering sleeping bats may wake them up and cause the overconsumption of calories which may be fatal for them.