SUE BRATTLE
One Man's Passion Grew Into 80 Acres of Bamboo
La Bambouseraie, Cévennes
3/5
I’D SPENT almost five years at home in England nurturing a tiny patch of black bamboo in our back garden, and then I visited this place. Its bamboo grows into forests, a testament to the man who brought them over from China in the 19th century.
Botanist Eugène Mazel was in China to study the silkworm industry (which once flourished in this part of France), and I guess he fell in love with bamboo.
So 170-odd years later, visitors can walk through 80 acres of this beautiful grass – it’s a grass, not a tree – listening to the swooshing and clicking sound they make as they bend in the breeze. I love people with a passion, and like to think of Eugène patiently acclimatising the young plants, winning some, losing some, while no doubt the neighbours thought he was bonkers. I wonder what he’d think if he saw the garden now.
These days La Bambouseraie is a Historic Monument and listed as one of Les Plus Beaux Jardins de France (The Most Beautiful Gardens of France). If bamboo isn’t your thing, there are also sequoias from California, 50 oaks, Japanese maple, and blue cypress.
If flowers are more your cup of tea, there are 60 varieties of camellias, hundreds of orchids, and greenhouses with loads of carnivorous plants. There are also Chinese and Japanese gardens, and a Laotian village built by a member of staff from Laos.
The garden is three kilometres outside the pretty town of Anduze and has a charming old-fashioned feel to it. There is also a real treat if you’re travelling with family or friends who are train buffs. The Anduze to Saint-Jean-du-Gard steam train stops at La Bambouseraie on its 13-kilometre journey so you can combine the train trip with a garden visit.
Top tip: Whether you’re travelling by train or car, go on to St Jean-du-Gard for a walk around. It’s a charming town with a rich history connected to author Robert Louis Stevenson.
Verdict: Unique garden, with plenty to keep everyone happy.
Updated March 2020
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SUE BRATTLE
One Man's Passion Grew Into 80 Acres of Bamboo
La Bambouseraie, Cévennes
3/5
I’D SPENT almost five years at home in England nurturing a tiny patch of black bamboo in our back garden, and then I visited this place. Its bamboo grows into forests, a testament to the man who brought them over from China in the 19th century.
Botanist Eugène Mazel was in China to study the silkworm industry (which once flourished in this part of France), and I guess he fell in love with bamboo.
So 170-odd years later, visitors can walk through 80 acres of this beautiful grass – it’s a grass, not a tree – listening to the swooshing and clicking sound they make as they bend in the breeze. I love people with a passion, and like to think of Eugène patiently acclimatising the young plants, winning some, losing some, while no doubt the neighbours thought he was bonkers. I wonder what he’d think if he saw the garden now.
These days La Bambouseraie is a Historic Monument and listed as one of Les Plus Beaux Jardins de France (The Most Beautiful Gardens of France). If bamboo isn’t your thing, there are also sequoias from California, 50 oaks, Japanese maple, and blue cypress.
If flowers are more your cup of tea, there are 60 varieties of camellias, hundreds of orchids, and greenhouses with loads of carnivorous plants. There are also Chinese and Japanese gardens, and a Laotian village built by a member of staff from Laos.
The garden is three kilometres outside the pretty town of Anduze and has a charming old-fashioned feel to it. There is also a real treat if you’re travelling with family or friends who are train buffs. The Anduze to Saint-Jean-du-Gard steam train stops at La Bambouseraie on its 13-kilometre journey so you can combine the train trip with a garden visit.
Top tip: Whether you’re travelling by train or car, go on to St Jean-du-Gard for a walk around. It’s a charming town with a rich history connected to author Robert Louis Stevenson.
Verdict: Unique garden, with plenty to keep everyone happy.
Updated March 2020
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GAZE OUT through the window where Vincent van Gogh once stood as he studied the view seen in his best-loved work, The Starry Night. READ MORE
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WHISPERING
GRASSES
One Man's Passion Grew Into 80 Acres of Bamboo
SUE BRATTLE
La Bambouseraie, Cévennes, France
3/5
I’D SPENT almost five years at home in England nurturing a tiny patch of black bamboo in our back garden, and then I visited this place. Its bamboo grows into forests, a testament to the man who brought them over from China in the 19th century.
Botanist Eugène Mazel was in China to study the silkworm industry (which once flourished in this part of France), and I guess he fell in love with bamboo.
So 170-odd years later, visitors can walk through 80 acres of this beautiful grass – it’s a grass, not a tree – listening to the swooshing and clicking sound they make as they bend in the breeze.
I love people with a passion, and like to think of Eugène patiently acclimatising the young plants, winning some, losing some, while no doubt the neighbours thought he was bonkers. I wonder what he’d think if he saw the garden now.
These days La Bambouseraie is a Historic Monument and listed as one of Les Plus Beaux Jardins de France (The Most Beautiful Gardens of France). If bamboo isn’t your thing, there are also sequoias from California, 50 oaks, Japanese maple, and blue cypress.
If flowers are more your cup of tea, there are 60 varieties of camellias, hundreds of orchids, and greenhouses with loads of carnivorous plants. There are also Chinese and Japanese gardens, and a Laotian village built by a member of staff from Laos.
The garden is three kilometres outside the pretty town of Anduze and has a charming old-fashioned feel to it. There is also a real treat if you’re travelling with family or friends who are train buffs. The Anduze to Saint-Jean-du-Gard steam train stops at La Bambouseraie on its 13-kilometre journey so you can combine the train trip with a garden visit.
Top tip: Whether you’re travelling by train or car, go on to St Jean-du-Gard for a walk around. It’s a charming town with a rich history connected to author Robert Louis Stevenson.
Verdict: Unique garden, with plenty to keep everyone happy.
Updated March 2020
Previous
Next
RELATED
GAZE OUT through the window where Vincent van Gogh once stood as he studied the view seen in his best-loved work, The Starry Night. READ MORE
HEROINES WHO DEFIED NAZIS: One of the joys of travel is discovering a story you’d never heard of that leaves a lasting impression, such as this tale of two wartime heroines… READ MORE, WATCH VIDEO
MORE INFO
BAMBOUSERAIE OFFICIAL SITE: Smart-looking guide with details of ticketing, guided tours, the garden centres and much more. READ MORE
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WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our up-to-the-minute guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE