ARTE Distribution

Every year, stunning sites draw tourists from around the globe. But off the beaten track, remarkable stories of local wildlife quietly unfold. Today, preserving these places means embracing both natural and historical heritage. Two worlds finally coming together as allies.

Mont Saint-Michel, the Loire valley châteaux, Alhambra or Bastei Bridge… Every year, these breathtaking sites attract tourists from across the world. But hidden in the meanderings off the beaten track, fascinating and unexpected stories unfold: the stories of the wildlife that inhabits these places.
 
For, although these famous French cultural heritage sites have been built over the centuries, they are located within areas of outstanding natural beauty, with their own iconic species such as the Red deer of Chambord, the Black stork of Pont Bastei or the toads of the Alhambra.
 
Today, the preservation of these exceptional sites can no longer be done without taking into account the wildlife. And after several centuries of ignoring each other, these two worlds are finally coming together to show that natural and historical heritage can become allies! Over the course of four seasons, this prestigious documentary collection revisits the great French heritage sites from the perspective of the wildlife that inhabits them, offering an unusual look at these mythical sites, with fur, feathers or scales.

In North America, grizzly populations are now small and isolated.  So in a small key region on the border between the USA and Canada, a group of men and women have decided to open up a network of corridors between grizzly stomping grounds... to enable the bears to find each other.

The caribou is Canada’s most emblematic animal. Sadly, it did not safeguard it from being in serious danger of extinction in the south of the country. Suffering from habitat loss and under increasing threat from predators, the Canadian Rocky Mountains’ caribou are endangered.  However, the future of one of these caribou herds is looking up, thanks to an exemplary conservation plan initiated by indigenous peoples.

The wolf is the ghost of Canada's Great North-West. They are invisible, yet roam these vast expanses in great numbers. In this northernmost tip of the Rockies, wolves and humans are learning to coexist and are building a shared future. Fearsome predators in competition with the First Nations of the Yukon, they find themselves, against all odds, at the heart of an ecology of reconciliation.

Dominating the Romanian Carpathians, Bran Castle stands guard over a land of legends. Associated with the most famous of vampires, Dracula, it attracts crowds in search of artificial thrills. But in the dark woods surrounding the fortress, other wild creatures lurk, far more real than the old count... Bears, lynx and wolves have made these ancient forests their main refuge in Europe. In the shadow of the castle, between flourishing tourism and the need for preservation, a new cohabitation between humans and beasts is taking shape.

In a garrigue bathed in sunshine, the Gardon shapes a wild landscape where life adapts to its whims. 2,000 years ago, the Romans defied this indomitable river by building the Pont du Gard, a veritable masterpiece of engineering. A symbol of human mastery over nature, the edifice has nevertheless blended into its surroundings over time. Little by little, plants and animals have colonized its stones, transforming this ancient monument into an incredible refuge for Mediterranean biodiversity.

Perched on the heights of Alsace since the XIIᵉ century, Haut-Koenigsbourg castle has witnessed the power struggles that have shaped the region. But its history is not limited to human rivalries: by modifying the landscape, its builders also transformed the surrounding flora and fauna. Forests, meadows and rivers have evolved, impacting emblematic species such as the white stork, the wildcat and the European hamster. Today, visited by thousands of tourists, the château stands helplessly by, witnessing the growing rift between man and his environment...

Majestic and timeless, Mont Blanc is much more than just a summit. The cradle of mountaineering, it first saw science guide the first ascents, before becoming the Mecca of high-altitude sports. But Mont Blanc is first and foremost a living, natural heritage, concentrating all the biodiversity of the Alpine massifs. Today, global warming is jeopardizing the snows that were once thought to be eternal, and with them the harmony between man and mountain.

In the heart of the Isle of Mull, battered by winds and sea spray, Duart Castle dominates a wild landscape. Witness to clan conflicts and Scottish destinies, the proud Highland stronghold now seems eclipsed by another history: that of the beasts. Eagles, otters and deer now attract visitors who come to capture the image of unspoilt nature. This fascination with the wild is gradually redrawing the fragile balance between human and animal heritage. Can the Isle of Mull preserve this cohabitation without one taking precedence over the other?

In the American West, the Grand Canyon, carved out by the waters of the Colorado River over 445 kilometers, is one of the most impressive natural sites on the planet. Protected by a national park since 1919, it is home to an astonishing biodiversity living in a mineral environment with inhospitable conditions.

An underwater jewel stretches along northeast Australia. The Great Barrier Reef. Nestled within a maze of mangroves, islands and reefs, it houses some of the planet’s richest and most diverse forms of marine life. Each creature plays its part while sharks, saltwater crocodiles, snakes and jellyfish keep watch.  They are the silent guardians of a balance which is as beautiful as it is fragile. From the top of the food chain these predators conduct the orchestra of life.  But their power can’t protect them in a faltering world. An insidious threat rumbles; the climate compass is going off course. Wild lands are crumbling, gradually succumbing to human attacks. Boundaries blur, and the two worlds collide… and sometimes clash. The rules are being rewritten to the rhythm of this new disorder. But researchers know that ecosystems are unstable without their predators. So how can we coexist with them? How can we create a shared life, where everyone still has their place?

The Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, is home to some of the most breathtaking life forms on the planet. Ravaged by the effects of climate change, some believe all hope is lost. Yet others, driven by courage and determination, are working tirelessly to find ingenious and practical solutions. This is the case for marine biologist Richard Fitzpatrick and his teams, who are dedicated to saving the Great Barrier Reef by implementing innovative scientific protocols to restore damaged coral. Stepping out of their labs, these field scientists show what imagination, science, and action can achieve.

In the shimmering waters of the Great Barrier Reef, the tiger shark reigns supreme. A legendary predator and essential to the balance of the reefs, it fascinates as much as it frightens. Australian scientists decipher its behavior, its migrations, and the complex interactions that bind it to humans. Thanks to new technologies and an unprecedented approach to cohabitation, this film unveils the mysteries of a giant of the seas, the silent guardian of a fragile world.