Hidden canyons and untamed nature: The Menthue is nominated for the River Pearls PLUS label
In the heart of the Canton of Vaud lies a hidden ecological jewel of untamed beauty: the Menthue. Its unspoilt gorges and its importance as one the last refuges of endangered fish species have led to a 3.5 km-long section of the river being nominated for the River Pearls PLUS label. The symbolic nomination trophy was recently handed over to representatives of the municipalities of Cronay, Donneloye and Yvonand.
Anyone following the course of the Menthue will be exploring a very different world. Between the Cronay dam and La Mauguettaz stretch 3.5 kilometres of high molasse cliffs and steeply sloping forests.
As a floodplain and natural woodland reserve of regional significance, the Menthue is home to valuable animal and plant species such as the lake trout, brown trout, chub, barbel and grayling – indeed, the latter is one of the last populations in Vaud. It is not least precisely this outstanding biodiversity of the section of river that the nomination trophy, crafted from a stone taken from the Menthue itself, now honours.
Following the handover of the trophy, the way is now open for the municipalities to strive for certification with the River Pearls PLUS label. Certification provides lasting protection for the watercourse while at the same time strengthening the bond between the local population and the nature around them. That is because it brings all interest groups together round a table to ensure that the Menthue can remain in the future what it is today: a proud, untamed river.
Pictured (left to right): Julien De Icco, municipal councillor of Yvonand, Ms Valérie Cavin, municipal councillor of Donneloye, Fabrice Tanner, mayor of Cronay, Daniel Moccand, municipal councillor of Cronay, Laura Marques, mayor of Yvonand, Lucy Delarze, municipal councillor of Yvonand, Benoît Reymondin, mayor of Donneloye, Philippe Zuppinger, municipal councillor of Cronay, Norbert Sauser, municipal councillor of Cronay, Ariane Bovet, municipal councillor of Cronay