Betts Ecology French Research Office
Dr Betts has had a private office for writing, research and field study in France since the 1970s. Much of his work there has been dedicated to supporting the Betts practice through the writing and provision of the many information and PR papers that any serious environmental consultancy business needs, as well as producing longer texts and papers on a variety of natural history topics. As an unwavering supporter of European relations and the European Union, we believe our business benefits enormously from these wider horizons and concomitant relationships.
The Villa Royal (it is named after the Royal family and a lady who was born there more than ninety years ago – there is nothing royal about the property!) has private office facilities, workspace for examining and identifying natural history specimens, a specialist library, and some limited accommodation for guests. Please note that access is strictly by invitation only.
Much of our success is due to the ability to develop the technical and commercial aspects of the business in this tranquil and stimulating location. Our unique Practice Operating Manual, all our species and habitat protocols, much of our web content and our specialist publications were all produced by Christopher and Cecilia Betts here. The Villa Royal Field Station continues to be an essential resource for all Betts project planning, development and research.
Ecological field projects include:
- A Guide to the Sentier Botanique, a notable botanical path running through the Bévéra Valley across the old Italian frontier. This can be downloaded free click here.
- A leaflet for visitors to Sospel click here.
- The botany of an agriculturally unimproved calcareous grassland (see Plants of Villa Royal Meadow)
- Macro-invertebrates of the Sospel valleys
- General natural history of the region click here
Projects on the natural history of the adjacent Parc Mercantour and the Maritime Alps are always ongoing. Many have been published as articles and short papers in the Worcestershire Naturalists' Club Transactions www.wnc.org.uk
Copyright © Betts 2017
