The destination: Sainte-Suzanne les Coëvrons has 5 Sensitive Natural Areas including two Natura 2000 zones. It is also a very preserved territory, with hedgerows and the largest area of woodland in the department.
- The Coëvrons Natura 2000 bocage (10 hectares, 245 communes in the Coëvrons)
- The Erve Valley (380 hectares, 5 communes including 3 in the Coëvrons)
- Gué de Selle Pond (96 hectares, Mézangers)
- Montaigu Hill (55 hectares, Hambers)
- Wet meadows of Brée (14 hectares, Brée)
The Erve Valley
The Erve Valley, the first Natura 2000 site in the Mayenne department, boasts no fewer than eight natural habitats and thirteen protected animal species . Shaped like a canyon, the site lies on the eastern edge of the Armorican Massif. Its limestone bedrock has allowed water to seep through over the years, creating cavities that prehistoric humans and animals used for centuries. Today, researchers have identified 22 caves in the Erve Valley, two of which (Rochefort Cave and Margot Cave) are currently open to the public for guided tours. This site is also the only one north of the Loire River to have a decorated cave , which is on display in the Museum of Prehistory.
