in Lozère, a reserve at the bedside of European bison

In Lozère, the town of Sainte-Eulalie is home to a bison reserve. The ride is done in a horse-drawn carriage. During the visit, the main group is revealed: the dominant male, all the females and the children. The reserve’s mission is to preserve the health of the herd, and to maintain a genetic reservoir of the endangered species. There are about 8,000 European bison left, of which only 3,000 are free, in Russia, Poland and Ukraine.

In the event of an epidemic or disaster, the Lozère island could help save the species. “The first bison disappeared after the First World War. (…) There were about thirty left, which were in zoos and animal parks”, explains Sandrine Serret, head of the reserve. Since 1991, the reserve has welcomed bison and the public. The recipe makes it possible to operate the establishment, and to offer visitors a timeless experience. The reserve, with its two new births, now has 38 European bison, on 200 hectares of forest.