Spring is here ! The birds are singing and the trees are budding! Until the end of April, the sakuras (cherry trees of Japan) are adorned with thousands of flowers, conferring a singular magic on the gardens of oriental influences hosted by the most beautiful cities in France…
In the Paris region…
When the mild spring sets in, the capital and its surroundings are adorned in particular with soft pink shades.
Residents and visitors can particularly appreciate the phenomenon at the Trocadero, the Champ de Mars, the Jardin des Plantes, the Luther-King park, the Tuileries garden, the Père Lachaise cemetery, the Parc des Sceaux and the arboretum of Versailles- Chevreloup.
In Loire-Atlantique…
Japanese Eden of 1.7 hectares, the Island of Versailles (free entry), in Nantes, shelters waterfalls, Zen gardens, ponds, pagodas and other buildings inspired by the traditional Japanese habitat.
It is obviously advisable to stroll there to observe the cherry trees in buds then in blossom, to taste excellent teas and practice canoeing.
In the Côte d’Or…
To the north of Dijon, the Parc du Suzon, born in the 1980s from a collaboration with the Japanese town of Koshigaya, invites you to take a break in dreams and serenity, between the present moment and eternity: running water symbolizes the passage of time; islands and gateways, the link between Earth and Sky.
In the south…
Labeled “Remarkable Garden”, the Pierre-Baudis floral space located in Toulouse, in the heart of the Compans-Caffarelli park (free entry), stretches its 7,000 m² entirely dedicated to the botanical customs of Japan: a mineral, vegetal, aquatic and spiritual that invites you to meditate.
Nestled in the center of the Principality of Monaco, a Japanese garden created in 1994 at the request of Prince Rainier III, strictly respects the concept of Zen thought. Cherry trees, bamboos, temples, lanterns and bridges mingle poetically with inspiring Mediterranean essences (pines, olive trees, pomegranate trees, etc.).
The editor’s favorite
The Editor’s Favorite is the eastern park of Maulévrier in Anjou, which also happens to be the largest Japanese garden in Europe (300 trees spread over 29 hectares). For a few weeks, the site is proud of the flowering of the Prunus Serrulata then the kanzan and the Stellata, and takes the opportunity to organize picnics on the grass and other activities related to Japanese culture.
Adult entry: €8 (free for children under 12).
More info on the website https://www.parc-oriental.com/