Vegetation of the Pyrenees

Into mountain, the vegetation changes gradually according to altitude, the exposure to the sun, and the geographical location of the mountainous solid mass. The Pyrenees constituting a geological barrier in longitude (the latitude of the chain varies little), its Végétation - i.e. how its Flore is organized - distributed according to the three following criteria:

Distribution in latitude (North-South)

The Spanish southern slope is in general drier than the French northern slope. The reason is that the southern slope is exposed more to the sun than the northern slope, but also that this last benefits from the Effet of Foehn.

Distribution in longitude (East-West)

The wet oceanic climate in the west supports precipitations, and thus the rise of the vegetation in the west. This one is felt until in Ariège. From the Aude, the vegetation changes and rarefies under the influence of a hot and dry Mediterranean climate.

Distribution in altitude

One distinguishes five successive “stages” or ecosystems, with for each one a landscape and a characteristic vegetation.

Stage of the valleys and the pre-Pyrenean hills, known as stage collinéen, whose higher limit is to 800 m of altitude.
Stage of the small mountain, known as mountain stage, whose limits go from 800 m to 1400-1700 m of altitude.
Stage of medium mountains and the mountain pastures of altitude, known as subalpine stage, whose limits go from 1400-1700 m to 1800-2400 m of altitude.
Stage of the high-mountain, known as alpine stage, whose limits go from 1800-2400 m to 3000 m of altitude, with the snow line.
Stage of the eternal snow, known as nival stage, as of the first eternal snow, above 3000 m altitude.

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