Ile de la Motte, ENS de l'Ain

Labeled a Sensitive Natural Area since 2015, Ile de la Motte is located on the Saône River off Saint-Bénigne. It is home to colonies of herons: black-crowned night heron, grey heron and cattle egret.
The Île de la Motte was awarded the "ENS" label by the Département de l'Ain in 2015. Real natural and landscaped jewels of the Ain department, the sites benefiting from the ENS "Espaces naturels sensibles" label are managed in such a way as to preserve the biodiversity they host and developed for opening to the public (barring exceptions due to the fragility of the environments).

Located on the Saône River off Saint-Bénigne, Ile de la Motte is home to colonies of herons: black-crowned night heron, grey heron, heron and little egret, sometimes sensitive to disturbance during the breeding season. Information signs indicate that the island's frequentation disturbs the breeding of these remarkable birds from March to July.

The existence of the island in the river is also an asset for maintaining fish diversity. Visits and educational events are organized to discover the natural riches of the site. You can consult the dates of these events on the Nature events calendar "sCENe ouverte sur le patrimoine naturel de l'Ain".

Nearby, don't miss a visit to the Maison de l'Eau in Pont-de-Vaux.
From the banks, you can observe the spring nesting season.