La Vallée des Sirènes

The sirenian trail allows you to discover a unique in the world site provided by the Réserve Naturelle Géologique de Haute Provence where 40 million year old bones can be found.

This 2 km family walk starts at the parking of the Col des Lèques, located 8 km away from Castellane, in the direction of Digne les Bains. It will lead you to a geological site where you will see sirenian fossil remains, ancestors of dugongs and manatees. Panels will talk you through the history of the site.

Massive drop of water level was not the reason for the living in a prehistoric ocean sirenians of the Tabouri ravine to be nowadays at the height of 1000 m above sea level. Accumulated over millions of years, marine sediments found themselves high and in a vertical position when the Alps rose.

This 1h30 walk will complete the visit of the Musée Sirènes et Fossiles and will show you the way Castellane used to be 40 million years ago.