New home for the bats

Bats are a fast-disappearing species: agricultural intensification, the use of pesticides, marauding cats, light pollution and development projects have caused a spectacular decline in their population. This is especially true in Provence, which hosts 29 of the 35 different species present in Europe.

Several bat colonies lived in the bridge on the D96 in Peyrolles and in the underground canals in the Pont de Mirabeau area. While the bridge is being rebuilt and the canal tunnels reinforced to withstand the weight of the future ITER "extra-large convoys," the colonies have been captured and entrusted to the local bat protection society, Groupe Chiroptère de Provence.

The canal tunnels and the almost-completed new bridge have been equipped with cosy and well-protected bat shelters—60 x 60 cm "boxes" hollowed out of concrete in the tunnels' ceilings—and a gallery-like "housing" area under the bridge. Colonies are expected to move back in the spring, once their hibernation period is over.

By the way: bats have a nice name in French—they're called "chauves-souris," which means, literally, "bald mice." But bats are not "bald"; on the contrary they're quite hairy. Originally, in Late Latin, bats were called "cava sorix" (owl mouse) which sounds very close to "calve sorix" (bald mouse)... Since it was easier to picture a bald mouse than an owl mouse, the name, once it had evolved into French, stuck.