The Grande Cariçaie

4 July 2021

The Grande Cariçaie covers the entire southern shore of Lake Neuchâtel (45 km). It is home to over 800 plant species and more than 10,000 animal species, i.e. about a quarter of Switzerland’s flora and fauna.

The Latin name Carex  (sedge) can be traced back to the Latin word carectum, which indicates an area covered with sedges. The Grande Cariçaie is, therefore, a large area covered with sedges.

The area consists of 8 nature reserves in Vaud, Fribourg and Neuchâtel and covers almost 3,000 hectares and is 45 kilometres long. The diversity of nature, the flora and fauna and the number of animal and plant populations have made Grande Cariçaie famous far beyond the borders of Switzerland.

It is also part of the network of Ramsar sites, an international convention from 1971 to protect migratory birds. The area has many hiking and cycling trails and several information centres.

(Source and further information: www.grande-caricaie.ch).