Solid mass of the Moors

First presentation

Moors: from which does this name come?

Crystalline unit within a primarily calcareous Provence, the solid mass of the Moors probably draws his name from the dark color of its rocks and its forest cover. The Moors, it would be “the black mountain” - etymology which one admits besides very well when one contemplates the austere panorama of the crètes since the plain of the Moors between Luc-in-Provence and Vidauban. According to several historians this name would be a memory of the sarrazine presence, with, presence attested in the area by rare Toponyme S, like that of Almanarre, locality located at the root of the Tombolo of Giens, and whose name derives from the Arab word " Almanara" who means " phare".

Situation and dimensions

Entirely included/understood in the department of the VAr, the solid mass of the Moors extends, according to a dominant direction O. /S.O. - E. /N.E. (direction of the principal watersheds), between the towns of Hyères and Frejus, on a distance of an about sixty kilometers. Its greater width exceeds thirty kilometers slightly. At its south-western end, it is bordered by the alluvial plain of the Gapeau; at its north-eastern end, the plain of the Argens separates it from Massive of Esterel. Northern side, of Toulon to Frejus, it is girdled by the long one and narrow depression Permien, which the trunk roads do not borrow 97 and 7, as well as the railway Toulon Nice. To the south, the solid mass plunges in the Mediterranean, forming a cut out and often abrupt coast.

Broad outlines of the geographical structure: unit and diversity

In detail the geography of the solid mass is complex. Nevertheless, it orders according to three principal watersheds, directed O. /S.O. - E. /N.E., and whose maximum altitudes decrease of north in the south. The peak more in north carries at its western end the culminating points of the solid mass: tops of Sauvette (780 m) and Our-Lady-of-Angels (767 m). More in the south, an intermediate peak culminates to 648 m not far from Chartreuse of Verne. Lastly, the littoral link reaches only 528 m above Cavalaire-on-Sea.

The peninsula of Saint-Tropez belongs geographically and geologically to the solid mass, just as the Presqu'île of Giens and than the islands of Hyères (Porquerolles, Port-Cross-country race, island of Raising). The zone of the Cape Sicié, in the west of Toulon, like in the North-East the solid mass of the Tanneron, form also part, from a geological point of view, the whole of the Moors.

The solid mass of the Moors includes also low zones: tombolo of Giens, alluvial plain of Hyères/ the Londe-the-Moors, bay of Cavalaire, alluvial plain of Giscle, between Cogolin and Holy-Maxime.

Each one of these zones separates by a series of characteristics. However, the geographical configuration, the geological history, the very great relationship of the ecosystems confer on the unit a very strong unit.

Difficulties of the relief

Because of the difficulties of the relief (escarpées slopes, enclosing deep, sinuous and tightened small valleys) the solid mass of the Moors remained a long time -- and remains still today mainly) a difficult of access and little inhabited area (the more so as the cultivable grounds and the water points are rare). The important roads, very attended, deviate from the central part, most broken: main road 98 connecting Hyères to Frejus by Bormes-the-Mimosas, the Mole, Cogolin and Holy-Maxime, littoral road by Lavandou and Cavalaire-on-Sea; secondary road 558 connecting Saint-Tropez to the plain of the Moors by the Guard-Freinet; secondary road 25 connecting Holy-Maxime to the area of Draguignan by the collar of Gratteloup (228 m). Apart from these four main axes, which give in particular access to the gulf and the peninsula of Saint-Tropez, the majority of the other roads normally opened with circulation are small mountain roads, extremely pretty but narrow and sinuous, to disadvise to the tourist in a hurry! A great number of transportation routes, even tarred - the such road of the Marc-Robert peaks between the Guard-Freinet and Our-Lady-of-Angels - are tracks of fire fighting (tracks DFCI), prohibited in theory with the traffic (formal prohibition under penalty of strong fine during most of the summer).

The distribution of the habitat

The interior of the solid mass counts only some villages, full with charm (Collobrières, the Mole, the Guard-Freinet, Plan-of-the-Turn, Gassin, Ramatuelle) and some hamlets, often very beautiful, like Mourre, close to the Guard-Freinet. The majority of the localities were established on the circumference of the solid mass. Some, like Mayons, knew to preserve their old seal. Side of the littoral, the agglomerations, established in splendid sites - Bormes-the-Mimosas, Lavandou, Cavalaire-on-Sea, Saint-Tropez, Holy-Maxime… - extended much and the slopes which dominates them cover villas.

Geology

Nature and distribution of the rocks

Essentially, the rocks of the solid mass of the Moors are very old rocks formed between the end of the Protérozoïque and the end of the Paléozoïque. They are rocks cristallophylliennes and crystalline. One observes of west in is a degree growing of Métamorphisme. Two great zones can be distinguished, on both sides of a major accident, North-South orientation: it is about the Faille which, from the surroundings of Pennafort (in the north of the depression Permien), does not pass to the accesses of Plan-of-the-Turn to reach the Mediterranean near Grimaud. In the west of this accident develop fairly metamorphic grounds slightly or; one distinguishes from west is phyllites, then Schistes and Quartzite S, then mica schists, then mica schists with minerals where is intercalated a band NS with dominant Gneiss (unit of Bormes). In the east of the same accident grounds very strongly metamorphized develop, until a beginning of fusion (Anatexie): compound gneisses and anatexites (left the solid mass located at the east of the secondary road 25 Holy-Maxime/Muy; peninsula of Saint-Tropez; solid mass of Tanneron).

In the area of Plan-of-the-Turn a zone of Granite S develops intrusive gone back to 335 to 313 MY (average Carbonifère), former to the Pennafort-Bormes accident, which recuts them, and posterior with the metamorphic series, which these granites recut. This zone lengthens south in north on a distance of approximately 16 kilometers, and over a maximum width of 5 kilometers. In its prolongation, on the other side of the Permian depression, one finds these granites, in the area of Pennafort.

Always near Plan-of-the-Turn, develops, on the western edge of the accident Pennafort-Grimaud, a band of grounds dating from the end from Carboniferous (Stéphanien). These grounds settled in a basin of collapse due to the accident, which is thus former for them. They find in the North-East their prolongation in the basin of Reyran, in contact with the solid mass of Tanneron.

It is necessary to announce other important accidents, of orientation O-E this time (or more often OSO-ENE): Roquebrune-sur-Argens is necessary, separating the granite from Plan-of-the-Turn of the Permian grounds; accident Our-Lady-of-Angels/the Guard-Freinet (Overlapping of metamorphic on the Permian depression); accidents Pierrefeu-Collobrières-Cogolin and Hyères it Mole, shifting the successive bands of metamorphic grounds indexed higher.

Datings

In the western part of the solid mass, one belongs to west is the following datings:

- the discovery of Graptolite S (only fossils found to date in the solid mass) in phyllites of Fenouillet (close to Hyères) date these rocks of the base of the Silurien (approximately 430 MY);

- the Amphibolite S and Leptynite S of Collobrières are gone back to 498 + 12 MY (lower Ordovicien); dating to be brought closer to that to amphibolites and leptynites of the unit of the Guard-Freinet (Tectonic window levelling under the gneisses and mica schists of the unit of Bormes);

- orthogneisses (old metamorphized granites) of the unit of Bormes are gone back to 560-600 MY (end of protérozoïque). This unit of Bormes seems to correspond to an old protérozoïque base included in the Orogenèse Hercynien.

Tectonics

The tectonic history of the solid mass is animated and complicated. Here is a short outline.

Certain granites of the solid mass (granite of Barral) and the gneisses of the unit of Bormes are dated between 600 and 500 My (end of the Protérozoïque). They seem to correspond to an old protérozoïque base included in orogenesis Hercynien.

With the Cambrien begins one period of distension which will last until the Silurien. After one period of rifting generating faults and volcanicity, of the sediments settle in seamen circle, deposits to which the graptolites found in Fenouillet (430 My) testify. Hidden with great depth, these sediments are métamorphisés.

Orogenesis hercynienne begins with the Dévonien and is completed with the Permien (of 410 My to 260 My). The metamorphized sediments are folded. The granites of Tanneron and Plan-of-the-Turn are set up towards 325 My. The higher Carbonifère several phases of compression, direction NS follow one another, then NO-SE, finally E-O. At lower Stéphanien (between 305 and 295 My), along the fault NS of Grimaud-Pennafort, the coal basin of Plan-of-the-Turn is set up, basin of the " type; sweater-apart". The solid mass owes with orogenesis hercynienne its succession of antiformes and synformes of direction SSO-NNE, with the axes plunging towards, and poured towards the east, then its great structures E-O and NS. The products of the erosion of the chain hercynienne accumulate, on more than 2000 meters, in the Permian depression.

With the Permien starts a phase of distension, of initial direction, to which prelude one period of intense volcanic activity (formation of the Massif of Esterel). With Permo-Sorted, of the sinistral setbacks cut out the solid mass in several East-West links. From the Sorted, the sea invades the zone. The Moors disappear under 200m from évaporites. The solid mass did not preserve its sedimentary cover (except in Tanneron, in the North-East). For this long period, which goes from Sorted at the end of the Mesozoic , take place of the phases of extension, initially of direction NO-SE (opening téthysienne, with the Jurassic average), then NS (opening Atlantique).

At the beginning of the Cenozoic (Eocene higher, towards 50 My), begins a phase of compression SN (pyrénéo-of Provence). Moors and emergent Tanneron. Paroxysmal movements involve the separation of the Mesozoic sedimentary cover which migrates towards north. The western part of the Moors is output in scales poured towards north.

With the Eocene average, the collision NS of Ibérie builds the chain pyrénéo-of Provence which, extending towards the east until the area from Monaco, integrates the Moors.

At the end of the Eocene (Priabonien, 35 My), a new period begins from extension, direction NO-SE, then E-O: it corresponds to the opening of the ocean of Provence. This oceanic opening makes rock the base, on the one hand towards the valley of the Rhone, on the other hand towards the ocean in formation. The Corsica unit - Sardinia separates from the chain and starts an anti-clockwise rotation which is completed at the beginning of the Miocène (Burdigalien, 18 My). In the Moors, who raise themselves with the Oligocene superior, sets up, at the same period, a succession of anticlines and synclinal directed OSO-ENE.

At the end of the Miocène (7-6 My) and with the Pliocène, a new phase of compression, alpine origin this time, and direction NS, occurs. Collapse towards the west and the south of the old solid mass cristallophyllien pyrénéo-of Provence is accompanied by the rising of the solid mass of the Moors, which acquires its current configuration appreciably.

Natural environment

Two principal and relatively contrasted zones should be distinguished: the vastest zone interior, highest, most broken and the least populated, and the littoral zone, sometimes reduced to a narrow broken coastal fringe, sometimes widening in alluvial plains (area of the Londe-the-Moors, plain of Giscle, between Cogolin and Holy-Maxime

The interior zone

Forest cover

The interior Moors remain, in spite of the catastrophic fires of the last decades, a forest zone, densément and magnificiently wooded. The tree-king of the Moors, quasi emblematic, the tree providence also, that on the blackened branches which one sees pushing back bouquets of young stems, as of the spring which follows the fire of the preceding summer, it is the Chêne-liège ( quercus suber ), that its thick bark protects from fire, the tree with the red trunk blood, when this bark was coldly collected (“stripping of cork”). If, in many places, the forest of the Small Moors already seems to have bandaged its wounds, as between Roquebrune-sur-Argens and the collar of Gratteloup, it is with the cork oak that it largely must. The walker who borrows certain tracks (in the south of secondary road 75 in particular) at the time of admiring specimens pluricentenaires with the enormous trunk, with the tormented foliage. But one also frequently meets, by going up the slopes and towards the peaks, the Holm oak ( quercus ilex ), noble tree with the dense foliage and sinks, the port less tormented than that of the cork oak. The pubescent Chêne ( Quercus pubescens ) often mingles with these two species.

At ease on the siliceous rocks of the Moors - and often associated with the cork oak - is the Châtaignier, one of the bases of the traditional rural economy. Oldest were planted several centuries ago, in orchards, preferably on the septentrional slopes (ubac), in the wetter small valleys. Many of these orchards are today with the abandonment, but where the chestnut groves are maintained, as with the accesses of Gonfaron, of the Mayons, Collobrières or the Guard-Freinet, they form splendid units, comparable with the Cevennes chestnut groves for example.

The Moors also count - often near the peaks - pine forests remarkable (Pin of Alep and Maritime pine), malhereusement more vulnerable to the fire which leaves its marks durably there.

Still let us mention, at the end of this summary outline, two shrubs with the foliage persisting and well shining with the light: the Cane-apple bush, with the tasty fruits, and the houx which, in some ubacs, reached the proportions of a beautiful tree.

Flora

It is completely remarkable by its variety (the species are not the same ones under the chestnut groves, the suberaies (cork oak), in rock zones etc) and by the number of rare and protected species (more than thirty).

From April at June, in all the sectors of the Moors, the walk is an enchantment. Some species, among the least rare: the Broom bright and odorous, celebrates it Lavande Moors ( Lavandula Stoechas ), very different from his cousin of the High-VAr, the immortal one, with the perfume of polish, the Asphodèle (Asphodelus cerasiferus), the Narcisse, with the perfume entêtant in the ombreux small valleys, the Ciste S, with the pink or white delicate flowers. At the end of the summer, the heathers brighten their mauve colors the brown schists of the peaks.

The wildlife

The Sanglier is the mammal more met. It actively is driven out, in beaten, from September to January. He lives in herds, often good ten individuals, in the deep thickets, of which he turns over the humus, in search of nipples and roots. Other species, quite present, are more difficult to see: Badger X, Marten S, Genette S, sometimes a hare, without forgetting several species of bats.

The more the summer approaches, the more one is likely to meet some beautiful reptile. The majority are protected spaces, like famous the Tortue of Hermann, species forest (which one should not absolutely carry in his garden, under pretext which it is unable you in empêcher !), like the slow worm, like the splendid lizards (green lizard and ocellé lizard) whose populations decreased much these last years, like several species of grass snakes (grass snake of Esculape, water green, viperine snake, pink as the ground which carries it, rare and sinks coronelle of Gironde). One crosses them on the way, as motionless as a stick, because, in discovered ground, the danger comes from in-high, where grind the Rapace S, them also protected, diurnal raptors like splendid the Circaète Jean-le-Blanc, night raptors like the Chouette chevêche, the Tawny owl or the Hibou large-duke by which the cry melancholic person accompanies at the evening the hiker who goes down again of the peaks.

The littoral zone

Diversity of the sites

Peninsula of Giens until Saint-Aygulf, the littoral zone offers a great diversity of quite distinct sites, delimited by the reliefs: peninsula of Giens, rock, connected to the continent by a double dune cord enclosing the pond of Pesquiers (old marsh-saline); littoral plain of Hyères/Londe-the-Moors with its salt-water marshes (Saline of Hyères); rock zone of the course Bénat, culminating with 204 meters; cornice of the Moors, very cut out, of the port of Bormes to Cavalaire-on-Sea; low zone of bay of Cavalaire bordered of sand beaches; together rock and higher of the courses Lardier, Taillat and Camarat, notched beaches and splits; long beach of Pampelonne bordered of dunes; deep gulf of Saint-Tropez; then again cut out rock coast of Holy-Maxime in Saint-Aygulf.

Trees and plants

Near the sea gasolines appear which them sensitivity to freezing moves away from the interior of the solid mass: mimosa S, Tamaris, Palm tree S, Rose laurel. Cork oak always, associated with the pubescent oaks, are next to wood of pine S-parasols, as in the peninsula of Saint-Tropez.

On the rock littoral (courses Bénat, Lardier and Taillat, islands of Hyères) push semi-halophilous shrubby plants (resistant to the salt of the spray) as the Jupiter beard (Anthyllis bored-Jovis) and the dwarf palm tree (Chamaerops humilis). The islands of Hyères preserved a flora close to that of Corsica (to remember of time when Corsica was interdependent of the continent) and of the species become very rare on the continent.

The dune cords are favourable with the maritime Lis, with the Liseron soldanelle, the Oyat, the maritime Panicaut (that the Academy of the littoral chose for its logo).

The fresh water wetlands (Gapeau) see pushing the tamaris, developing the roselières, and shelter the gattilier, plants formerly frequent but become rare because of the urbanization.

The wetlands saltworks (old salt-water marshes) preserve also rare plants, like the ophrys bombyx and the Euphorbe of Terracine.

Fauna

The whole of the littoral sites accommodates many species of birds nicheurs, wintering or migrating. Many of these species rare or are threatened.

Trip hammers, jackdaw and other species nest in rock cliffs haunted by the Peregrine falcon but especially by the Goéland leucophée whose manpower are in full expansion (what is not without presenting environmental problems). The islands of Hyères shelter colonies of migratory birds which reproduce there, like the ashy Puffin, species threatened by the predatory ones introduced by the man, like the cats harets (wild become again domestic ex-cats).

The wetlands are sites of passage or nesting for many species: Black-headed gull, Harrier of the reeds, spangled Bittern in the wetlands; Pink flamingo, tern, Redshank, elegant Avocet, white stilt in the zones saltworks.

Finally the dunes shelter rare species of insects, like the scholium with yellow face, and a small Mediterranean lizard, the psammodrome of Edwards.

Protected spaces

The tourist expansion, the urbanization, the estival surfrequentation endanger often fragile landscapes and ecosystems, in particular in the littoral zone. the State, the local government agencies, of associations, the private individuals, intervene to cure the damage and to preserve the future.

the National office of the Forests manages the National forest of the Moors. It occupies most of the forest of the interior Moors, which extends on 80 km ² approximately.

the Conservatory National of the Littoral, created in 1975, carried out a series of acquisitions in littoral zone: in the zone of the Adhesive Black-Cape the Garonne (168 ha) the forest zone of the peninsula of Giens, the Saline ones of Pesquiers (550 ha), Saline Old men of Hyères (350 ha), the Cornice of the Moors (111 ha), the Cape Lardier (300 ha), the Cape Taillat (80 ha), the Cape Camarat (49 ha).

the National park of Port-Cross-country race, created in 1963, occupies 700 hectares of emerged grounds (islands of Port-Cross-country race and Bagaud, small islands of Gabinière and Rascas). It manages also the spaces acquired by the Academy of the Littoral in the island of Porquerolles (1000 ha), the peninsula of Giens and the Saline ones of Hyères.

the C.E.E.P. (Center of Studies of the Ecosystems of Provence) acquired in 1999 part of the small valley of Saint-Daumas (97 ha), on the northern edge of the solid mass. It manages also the territory acquired by the Academy of the Littoral in the Cape Taillat.

the communes on which these protected spaces extend are generally Co-managers.

the Mediterranean National Botanical Academy of Porquerolles also intervenes on these sites.

The economic activity

One again observes a strong contrast between the interior and the littoral zone. In the interior Moors, much less populated the economic activity is reduced. It is on the contrary intense in the littoral zone.

Agriculture

The interior Moors were populated formerly much. In the many ruins, drowned in the forest testify, of old farms and agricultural buildings. Today, inside the solid mass, the traditional agro-pastoral activities are a survival. Some exploitations remain, here and there.

Beautiful chestnut groves are still maintained and exploited, in particular on the territory of the communes of Collobrières, the Guard-Freinet, Gonfaron, Mayons. The derivative products of sweet chestnut (chestnut puree etc) are elaborate in various artisanal companies of the sector. With the autumn, sympathetic nerves festivals of sweet chestnut, very run, are organized in Collobrières, the Guard-Freinet, Mayons…

Resources of the forest

The harvest of the Liege (material) is nothing any more but one survival, because of competition of other Mediterranean countries and that of the plastic stopper.

The exploitation of wood is handicapped by the difficulties of the relief and the parcelling out of the properties. This activity is, currently, overall not very profitable. Exploited wood is used primarily by the Italian paper mills, Frenchwomen and. However the Association of the forest communes of the VAr and the “SIVoM Country-of-Moors” created in 2005 a space " wood énergie" with the Mole. Wood is crushed there in plates intended for the individual or collective heating by boilers with wood. Because of the growing cost of the fossil energy sources, this activity has to develop.

Vine growing

This economic activity is of an major importance in the area. The Vigne is present on the territory of almost all the communes of the solid mass (especially in the littoral zone) or bordering the solid mass (Permian depression).

All the communes or almost have their cellar-co-operative. The cellar-co-operatives and the fields, often famous, market the Vin S (reds, rosy, white) in Appellation of controlled origin (AOC " Coasts of Provence") or out of local wines.

The industrial activity

The area lost these last decades a good portion of its industrial activities.

It is the case, in particular, of mining.

Like all the solid masses Hercynien S, the solid mass of the Moors is rich in Minerai S exploitable. Certain mines were worked there at least as of the time Gallo-Roman E. None is currently in exploitation.

The majority of these mines are with the periphery of the solid mass, in general with the bottom of the slopes, the metamorphic grounds and of the grounds Permien S.

- Principal ores and exploitation sites:

Coal: basins of Plan-of-the-Turn and Reyran (Tanneron-Estérel contact)

Fluorite (spar-fluorine): mines of Fontsante (massive of Tanneron), of Peak-Martin, Long Camp, Cogolin

barytine (Barite): mine of Peak-Martin

Lead/Zinc/money: mines of Bormettes, Riaille (Londe-the-Moors), Saint-Daumas

Antimony: undermine of Borrels (Londe-the-Moors)

Iron: undermine of Rascas (Mayons)

Chromium: layer of Cavalaire

Copper: mine of Cape the Garonne (Carqueiranne it Pradet). This mine is universally famous for the many rare minerals and of an exceptional beauty which were found there. It is a museum today.

Linked activities with the tourist development

It is by far the economic sector more developed and that which creates the most jobs, especially in littoral zone: companies of the building and public works, hotel trade, trade, services.

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