Parc de la Fontaine aux Fées, protected area in France

The Parc de la Fontaine aux Fées is a protected natural area on the slope above Lake Kir in Talant. It consists of dry grasslands and boxwood heaths on Middle Jurassic limestone, with dense shrubs, bushes and tall grasses covering the uneven ground down to a grassy and rocky bank at the water. No built structures stand within the vegetation.

The land formed as limestone deposits around 165 million years ago, later quarried for regional construction projects. The park received official protected status on December 23, 1994 through a prefectoral decree to conserve its natural habitats and wildlife.

The name Fontaine aux Fées refers to the spring at the site, which shelters the midwife toad, the salamander and newts. The protected dry grasslands and boxwood heaths are surveyed for the ZNIEFF type I inventory under regional number 10320000. A discovery trail and sports facilities at the entrance mark the park's use as a local recreation area above Lake Kir.

The park is accessible through multiple entry points: via Rue des Boissières near the cemetery or Avenue de la Combe Valton at the sports complex parking lot. Marked trails are safe for walking and typically take about one hour; bring sturdy footwear and binoculars for wildlife viewing, especially in spring.

The Fontaine aux Fées spring shelters the midwife toad (Alyte accoucheur), the salamander and newts. The midwife toad is named for the male, who carries the eggs wrapped around his hind legs until they hatch. The site is a type I ZNIEFF under regional number 10320000.