Sierra de Francia

The Sierra de Francia is a mountain range and a comarca surrounding it located at the southern end of province of Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain. It is located about 70 km from Salamanca city. It borders with the Las Hurdes and Las Batuecas comarcas of Extremadura to the south; the Campo Charro to the north and the Sierra de Béjar to the east. The region is sparsely inhabited and its few towns have great cultural value.Most of the Sierra de Francia's territory, together with the valley of Las Batuecas was declared Las Batuecas-Sierra de Francia Natural Park in 1978. together with neighboring Sierra de Béjar it constitutes a Biosphere Reserve. Some of the towns of the comarca have been officially declared Conjunto Histórico-Artístico owing to their cultural and architectural value.GeographyThe Sierra de Francia is one of the mountain ranges belonging to the Sistema Central. Its forested mountain slopes (alder, oak, pine and ash) rise over the Northern Castilian Plateau, marking the geographical limit of its southwestern plains (Llanura Salmantina). From its southern side this mountain chain marks the northern limit of Las Hurdes, the legendary Extremaduran comarca.