Micropolis, ''la cité des insectes'' (city of

insects Insects (from Latin ') are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed ...

) is situated in the

Lévézou The Lévézou () is a geographical region in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is an impervious crystalline plateau with an average altitude of around 900m. Its highest point is Mont Seigne (1 128 m). Though its borders are not strictly ...

region of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, at Saint-Léons, near

Millau Millau (; ) is a commune in Occitania, France. Located at the confluence of the Tarn and Dourbie rivers, the town is a subprefecture of the Aveyron department. Millau is known for its Viaduct, glove industry and several nearby natural ...

. Micropolis is a museum dedicated to the

entomologist Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology that focuses on insects. Those who study entomology are known as entomologists. In ...

Jean-Henri Fabre Jean-Henri Casimir Fabre (; 21 December 1823 – 11 October 1915) was a French naturalist, entomologist, and author known for the lively style of his popular books on the lives of insects. Biography Fabre was born on 21 December 1823 in Saint- ...

and inspired by the film, '' Microcosmos'', of 1996. Micropolis is also a scientific centre with an experimental station on

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

. The covered building has 15 rooms spread over . It has vast outdoor spaces, in particular a walk called the carnival of insects which is both a space for observing nature with a panorama of Mont Seigne (at , the second highest summit of Lévézou) and a fun area for evocation of insects through 11 figurative stations which present giant insects.

References

External links

Micropolis website

(in English)
The museum and birth house of Jean-Henri Fabre
Biographical museums in France Natural history museums in France Museums in Aveyron Insectariums {{France-museum-stub