Carrière des Nerviens Regional Nature Reserve

The Carrière des Nerviens is a regional nature reserve in the Avesnois area featuring grasslands, thickets, and wooded sections. The site covers just over 3 hectares and displays different landscape types formed by its geology and past use.

The site operated as a sandstone quarry until the early 1960s, when extraction stopped due to declining stone quality. This transformation from industrial use to nature reserve shows how degraded landscapes can recover and support new life.

This place serves as a space where people can observe wild plants and animals in their natural setting. Local conservation efforts demonstrate how the community maintains these habitats for future visitors to explore and learn from.

Walking paths wind through the reserve, allowing visitors to move through different habitat sections at their own pace. The best time to visit is spring and summer when birds are most active and wildflowers bloom throughout the grasslands.

The reserve hosts fifteen plant species that depend on protection and thrive specifically on calcium-rich soils. These uncommon plants benefit from the blend of oceanic and continental climate patterns that define the region.

Location: Bavay

Location: Saint-Waast

Inception: May 25, 2009

GPS coordinates: 50.29822,3.77638

Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:07