The Extraordinary Garden

In Wonderland

It’s a green valley where a stream sings, a natural space open to the public in summer, where funny ephemeral creations and magnificent flower arrangements mingle. It’s the ideal place for a refreshing, playful summer stroll in a charming corner of the countryside, a complete break from visiting castles and museums. Come and join us in Lieurac for a visit to the extraordinary garden!

Cécile tells...

In the middle of August, as the thermometer was climbing, our little tribe decided to take a trip to the Jardin Extraordinaire. Situated on the banks of the Douctouyre river, this community garden opens its doors free of charge to show off its strange creations made of flowers, earth, wood...

An unknown land

Nature lovers like us have found their piece of paradise. Every year, we love to come and visit this enchanted 4-hectare oasis and stroll among the bizarre plant compositions. Located in the commune of Lieurac, the Jardin Extraordinaire is a unique site open to all.

You really get the impression of going off the beaten track when you take the small road that passes near the hamlet of Gouziaud and leads to the large field that serves as a parking lot. Everything is well signposted, but here there are no large road signs or tarmac roads, the directions are engraved on pieces of wood and the last few metres are on a wide dirt track. A change of scenery guaranteed!

After parking our vehicles, we walk towards the entrance and are greeted by the large wooden totem poles, almost 3 meters high… The children playfully reproduce the grimaces set in the wood of these imposing sculptures, but you can feel their awe at these mischievous symbolic guardians.

An enchanted visit

We enter the Grand Jardin. Here, the visit is unrestricted, with no set direction – just do as you please! On the lower level, near the entrance, the wide passages are lined with flowers and cucurbits that climb up plant or metal trellises to form pleasant shady arbors. Children use these structures for an impromptu game of hide-and-seek, and are amused by the funny shapes of some of the gourds. Older children marvel at the colorful harmonies of the flowerbeds. Then, all together, we quietly make our way down to the river…

Our eyes are wide: what marvellous sculptures made from grass, pebbles and flowers of every color, which seem to play with the river’s flow. The trees and the nearby water give us a delicious sensation of freshness, and we take the time to share our impressions of this ensemble, which forms a kind of great mandala. We are in awe of these creations. They are true works of natural art, created here every year by enthusiasts.

Land Art

Art for all

Born in the USA in the 1960s, Land Art is an artistic movement that has become a major trend in contemporary art. It’s a creative concept based on the link between the artist and the natural environment, and one of its aims is to get art out of galleries and museums.

Plastic artists use natural materials such as wood, stone, earth and water to create characters, architecture and works of art on a site where they can be seen by the public. These compositions can be ephemeral or durable, but are always subject to the vagaries of time.

Gourmet break

After crossing the river, we enter the forest. Here and there, strange creatures made from stones, wood or earth punctuate our journey. Children imagine elves and transport us into an enchanted wood!

As we leave the wooded area, we come to the upper part of the garden, where picnic tables invite us to take a well-deserved break. Nearby, a refreshment point offers drinks such as local fruit juices. We share these delicious refreshments while examining a multicolored flowerbed with butterflies fluttering about.

Quietly, we finish our visit and return to the parking lot. A little anecdote: before returning to our cars, we had to make a stop at the dry toilets. The children were a little surprised not to be able to flush the toilet 🙂

It was a superb summer afternoon, and we were all delighted to have shared this enchanted interlude together. We unanimously agreed that this garden is truly AMAZING!