THE MORNING LIST
Botanical stay in the Loiret, moment of serenity with the oaks in the Allier, bathing in fresh air in the Oise… France is full of corners of greenery to decompress and take full advantage of the autumn colours. Here is our selection.
At the Barres arboretum, beautiful and bizarre
The Barres arboretum is already impressive in numbers: 35 hectares planted with more than 9,000 trees and shrubs representing approximately 2,600 plant species from all continents. Opened to the public in 1985, it can be discovered in guided tours whose themes change with the seasons. It is the bizarre that is honored in October, which will lead walkers to “a tree that reproduces itself, a plant that you can write on if you don’t have paper, or even an oak tree that has fern leaves”.
It is also a place of celebration: to close the 2022 season, a large autumn market is organized from October 29 to 1is November 2022, with local producers and entertainment for the whole family. The opportunity to spend a botanical… and gourmet weekend there by staying at the nearby Auberge des Templiers (Relais & Châteaux), to enjoy the Michelin-starred restaurant of young Belgian chef Martin Simonart.
Barres National Arboretum, Nogent-sur-Vernisson (Loiret). Open every other weekend until 1is november. Admission €5. Guided tour reservation: 02-38-97-62-21 Arboretumdesbarres.fr. The Auberge des Templiers, in Boismorand (Loiret). Double room from €195. Relaischateaux.com
Youza, life in the trees one hour from Paris
What great news is the birth of Youza, a totally innovative project at the heart of a 32-hectare estate in the forest of Ivry, not far from Evreux, fifty minutes from Paris via Bueil station. It was there, in the middle of nowhere, that Augustin Zeller and Mathieu Kerdraon had the somewhat crazy idea of installing eco-designed cabins with an impeccable design. A simple architecture that also comes in tree houses, 4 meters above the ground. Both cocoons – all have a wood-burning stove – and open – onto a Nordic bath or through bay windows – these lodges invite calm, reading and rest. Around, temptations abound: the forest first, but also the cathedral of Evreux or the Saturday morning market in Ivry-la-Bataille. But it is above all the experience of sleeping in the inhabited silence of the forest that is unique, and so precious.
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