Festival of Cranes and Migration

The Festival of Cranes: celebrating migration in the heart of the reserve

The Festival of Cranes and Migration is a major naturalist event organized every autumn at the Arjuzanx National Nature Reserve, in the Landes de Gascogne. This event celebrates the arrival of the common cranes (Grus grus), mythical birds that choose the Landes as their wintering ground each year. Between 150,000 and 200,000 cranes pass through the department each year, and the Arjuzanx reserve is one of their favorite sites.

Ornithological walks at dawn

One of the festival's highlights is the morning ornithological walk, offered from 7:30 AM to 10 AM. Accompanied by naturalist guides, visitors set out to discover the reserve's birds, from passerines to common cranes, using trails usually closed to the public. The walk culminates at the observation tower, from where one can witness the spectacular take-off of the cranes at dawn.

An exceptional trail in the heart of the reserve

During the festival, the reserve's northern trail is exceptionally open for free access. This marked 6.5-kilometer trail crosses the heart of the nature reserve, offering a unique immersion into the landscapes of heathlands, wetlands, and forests that constitute the cranes' habitat.

Workshops, exhibitions, and activities

The program includes numerous scientific and fun workshops for all ages: nature games, readings, bird-making workshops, naturalist mediation, origami, and climate quizzes. Exhibitions of paintings, ceramics, and ornithological photographs are presented at the Site House, including the exhibition “Funny Birds”.

Concerts and screenings

The festival also offers an artistic dimension with concerts related to nature. Jazz pianist Lorenzo Naccarato, who travels across Europe from north to south following the western migration corridor of the cranes, offered a serenade at dusk accompanying the cranes' take-off from the piano, blending music and soundscapes. Documentary film screenings about cranes and migration complete the program.

An exceptional natural site

The Arjuzanx National Nature Reserve is a former mining site rehabilitated into a protected natural area, managed by the Regional Natural Park of Landes de Gascogne. Its landscapes of heathlands, lakes, and wetlands offer an ideal habitat for flora and fauna, and constitute a major wintering site for common cranes in Europe.