The Rouvre
The Rouvre carved out its valley between the ice ages of 10,000 and 100,000 years ago.
Its valley is incredibly picturesque and is one of the highlights of the Suisse Normande region. Whilst the river no longer affects the immense valley it carved out, the result of its erosion is the many rocky outcrops such as the 118-metre sheer drop of the Roche d’Oëtre. Deep gorges sustain the mountainous character of this part of Normandy. Where the forest gives way to hedgerows, dry stone walls and meadows strewn with granite rocks, the river has brighter sections.
The wildlife that frequents this torrent is unusual: trout, salmon and other fish such as the sculpin enjoy its swift, cold, well-oxygenated waters. This sensitive natural area is also home to emblematic animal species such as the otter and the rare fresh water pearl mussel, which can live for almost 100 years buried in the sand and gravel of the Rouvre. But the quality of the water must also be good, so polluters beware…
