Nature does not stop and with the melting of the white snow, it discovers rocks, plants and a flourishing vegetation. It is then that the Saussurea Botanical Garden awakens. The spell is for the eyes of those who want it. Of those looking for it. Of those who waited for him to get rid of the torpor and fear of these months in which everything stopped.

Garden Botanist Saussurea

Completely immersed in nature, you will finally feel free, overwhelmed by the immense, in contemplation of infinite and infinitely beautiful spaces. The Saussurea Botanical Garden he will welcome you into his womb which is cyclically renewed, and together with you he will rewrite the possibility of continuing the path to the top, strengthened by past obstacles.

The garden was wanted by Laurent Ferretti, and takes its name from the Saussurea alpina, in turn named in honor of Horace Benedict de Saussure, the Swiss scholar who in 1786 promoted the first ascent to Mont Blanc. Opened in 1987, the garden has never stopped enriching its structure and proposing new initiatives.

The garden welcomes 900 different species of alpine plants and is divided into two areas. There before it houses the flower beds arranged in rocks, divided by geographical area. We observe the mountain flora of exotic regions such as North America, New Zealand and the Himalaya. In second in the garden area, on the other hand, some plant environments typical of the Alps have been recreated, including for example the scree, which is the area characterized by the continuous supply of mobile debris, i.e. rocks of different sizes that fall from the highest part of the mountain. There snowy valley it is another characteristic environment, it is, as the name says, of valleys covered by snow for most of the year, which then remain impregnated with humidity in the few months in which they are free from snow. A third example of an alpine mini-ecosystem is l'Alneto. Typically populated by green alder (Alnus viridis), it is usually found in humid environments, such as landslides facing north, or near water courses.

Renovation work and activities

During 2019, thanks to a European interregional cooperation program between Italy and France, the Saussurea Foundation conducted renovation works which ended just before the autumn snowfalls and which will be visible in the summer of 2020, when the snow melts (possibly from June 20 to September 20). During these works a new path of deepening dedicated to some macro-areas: the mountain, i glaciers, i vertebrates, the invertebrates, i lichens. They are interactive areas where you can use binoculars, magnifying glasses or leave writing memories. A lively, dynamic dialogue that also promotes stories, memories and signs.

The outdoor route is followed by an informative moment within thecozy chalet. A brand new interactive touchscreen, full of images and information will bring diehard tech lovers to make a hypertextual exploration of the garden.

The Saussurea Botanical Garden organizes a rich series of activities for visitors, among which the path of Photo-Botanical Trekking. The photographer Enzo Massa Micon will guide you in the discovery of unsuspected perspectives of petals and leaves against the incomparable background of the Mont Blanc. The wonders of botany will reveal themselves together with the secrets of photographic technique. You can participate with a professional camera, or simply with your smartphone.

The fresh air and the distance from the ordinary world are a natural invitation to meditation. Giovanna Cucchieri will lead lessons in the garden Natural Yoga. Barefoot in the grass, participants will be invited to perform simple, static and dynamic exercises, focused on breathing and movement.

Over time, some plants of the mountain have assumed a highly symbolic value. Among these, a special role plays the Edelweiss, protagonist of many mountain legends and metaphor for a pure and unconditional love. Her role as queen of the mountain is an opportunity for one theatrical representation at high altitude.

The garden has also thought of the little ones, organizing a series of engaging experiences for children, who can bring with them a magical memory of this place.

Suspended in an enchantment between the valley and the sky, the Saussurea Botanical Garden awaits you in its renewed soul. In a unique context, capable of transforming each experience into a dream to remember. In an atmosphere of reflection, which helps us to find the meaning of our participation in the unceasing becoming of the world-system.