Parc Floral de Haute Bretagne, France; tourism and visits

Photo of Le Parc Floral de Haute-Bretagne

Visit Le Parc Floral de Haute-Bretagne

The Parc Botanique de Haute Bretagne is north west of Fougeres and is equally known as the Park Floral de Haute Bretagne and the Parc Botanique de Haute Bretagne.

Explore the Parc Floral de Haute Bretagne

The Parc Floral of Haute-Bretagne is in fact 21 themed gardens ranging from an Arabian style 'Paradise Garden' to the 'blue garden'. There are also sections to interest children, such as the pre-historic garden, the labyrinth and the suspended rope bridge over the 'Poet's garden'.

The park was originally started in 1847 but after years of neglect the garden was restored and added to by Alain Jouno in 1995.

The garden covers about 25 hectares and is a pleasure from start to finish. One of the first gardens, and one of my favourites is the paradise-style garden, the 'Jardin des 1001 nuits'. A long rectangular pond, with a series of water jets down its length is lushly planted along the edges and definitely evokes a garden you might have expected to see in a Maharaja's palace.

The garden then passes on to a garden with four quadrants each planted differently. One of which is planted almost entirely of green sage, a variegated yellow sage and golden oregano. Very simple but very effective.

One of the highlights of the garden is the Japanese-style garden, the 'Garden of the Rising Sun'. Acers, cloud-pruned trees, ferns and hostas and of course lots of rhododendrons and azaleas.

The gardens take on a very different life depending on the season. In the spring everything is bursting into life and camellias, magnolias, azaleas, rhododendrons and flowering cornus follow each other along with masses of bulbs.

Summer sees the beauty of hydrangeas and agapanthus and autumn is the time for the fiery leaves of the acers to take front stage along with ginkos and many other trees.

Parc Botanique de Haut Bretagne garden guide

The garden is situated not far from Fougeres, north-east of Rennes.

It is open from 1 March to 15 November. July, August from 10.30 to 18.30, April, May, June and September from 11.00 to 18.00. March, October and November from 14.00 to 17.30.

Address: Parc Floral de Haute Bretagne, 35133 Le Chatellier

Garden visits cost 8,90 to 10,90 eruos for adults depending on the season and 6,90 or 7,90 for 5-12 year olds. Visits are free for under 5s.

There is a plant nursery, a tea-room and also a restaurant at the park. There is also an electric minibus that can take you for a relaxing ride round the park.

Gardens to visit nearby

This area of France is rich in gardens to visit with many to choose from. A visit to the Jardins de la Mansoniere combines a visit to a great garden with a visit to one of France's most beautiful villages - Saint Ceneri le Gerei.

The Gardens of Montmarin are nearby and also in the same department are the Gardens of Broceliande which contain twenty national collection of plants.

The Jardin de la Pellerine is an attractive garden made up of a series of garden rooms.

You can find more local travel ideas in the North West France guide,