Grandes Bruyeres Arboretum

55 km from the Chambres d'Hôtes L'Echappée Belle, you will find the Arboretum des Grandes Bruyères.  It is a 14 hectare park located in the heart of the Orleans forest in Ingrannes.
The history of this private park began in 1969 when Brigitte and Bernard de la Rochefoucauld bought the land. It was an almost impenetrable agricultural wasteland. After clearing the land, the first planting began in 1973. Its collections of magnolias, American oaks and dogwoods are recognised nationally and it is classified as a remarkable garden.
Today the Arboretum contains 7000 plants from Europe, North America and the Far East, arranged according to their geographical origin.

The entrance to the Arboretum is a very pleasant French garden with benches and the sound of fountains. Then it is the turn of the English garden to seduce you. Then you will wander through the different groves, through different continents. This journey will take you to Japan and the United States. In fact, there are two large "groups", one Asian and the other American.

Numerous ponds interrupt your walk. Some species are so rare that they are sometimes extinct in their place of origin.

It must be said that the trees and shrubs are well cared for. No fertiliser or chemical treatments have been used in this garden for 40 years.

So, are you ready for a moment of relaxation and discovery in this little paradise?

Do you know...?

-There are 800 species of heather in Europe and Africa. The country with the most varieties is South Africa.

- Magnolias are very old plants. Fossils have been found dating back several tens of millions of years. In fact, specialists say that the first flower on our planet, more than 140 million years ago, looked like a magnolia flower.

- The de la Rochefoucauld family is one of the oldest families of the French nobility. It dates back to the 11th century. The branch of the family that created this arboretum settled in the Loiret in 1820.