Saladis springs

To the south of the commune, not far from the banks of the Allier, emerge the petit Saladis and grand Saladis, gaseous mineral springs that take the form of a pool a few meters deep for the grand Saladis and a channeled resurgence for the petit Saladis. Classified as a(…)

To the south of the commune, not far from the banks of the Allier, emerge the petit Saladis and grand Saladis, gaseous mineral springs that take the form of a pool a few meters deep for the grand Saladis and a channeled resurgence for the petit Saladis. Classified as a Natura 2000 site, the Saladis springs and their flora are subject to specific protection.

The water in these springs comes from deep underground, and rises to the surface laden with gas, iron and mineral salts, notably sodium chloride.

Renowned for their therapeutic virtues, they also support the development of a maritime flora around the griffons (areas where the springs emerge), which is unusual inland.
The salinity of the Saladis water makes it an ideal place for the development of a flora that is rare inland, comprising halophilic plants such as Glaux maritime, Plantain maritime and Spergulaire marginée.

From the springs, you can see the alluvial terraces of the Allier and the gullied cliffs of Sainte-Marguerite, where marly limestone was mined for lime and gypsum for plaster.

A 6.5 km loop in the middle of the Ribeyre plain allows you to enjoy a 1? hr walk around the mineral gas springs, starting from Les Saladis (the PDF file for this walk can be downloaded at the bottom of the page).