A pine forest in Alsace, France

In December, the forests of Alsace, in France's Grand Est region, wrap themselves in a veil of fog, as if nature were holding its breath before winter.

Between Scots pines and silver firs, the moss-covered ground muffles every step and silence feels almost sacred.

These woodlands, which cover nearly 40% of Alsace, shelter a rich biodiversity: roe deer, wild boar, black woodpeckers and sometimes the elusive lynx, which has returned after decades of absence.