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NEWSLETTER No. 18 - FEBRUARY 21th 2006 Theme of the fortnight is the Bamboo and exotic plant garden beside Anduze, at the south-eastern edge of the Cévennes, "La Bambouseraie de Prafance" which celebrates in 2006 its 150 years of existance. La Bambouseraie is an extensive park that has passed through the hands of very specialist and passionate people, and a long family line. It has become the most visited garden in France alongside the Villandry gardens of the Loire with 300,000 visitors annually. Top property is a perfect getaway, combining character, fabulous views, a pleasant flat garden, outbuildings (of which one is a gite), and a pool. It is situated in an idyllic corner of the lower Cevennes, yet within easy reach of towns. Should you wish to be removed from this mailing list, please use the link provided at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, kindly read on. Theme Of The Fortnight: La Bambouseraie de Prafrance Background In 1856, Eugène Mazel, who had made his fortune in the trade of spices from Asia, bought the area which was to become his bamboo garden. Mazel had a rare curiosity for exotic plants and his profession enabled him to ship numerous species of plant back to his native Cévennes. The area he chose to develop his park spans 85 acres and is situated 2km north of Anduze in a limestone and granite basin beside the Gardon river. The area receives an average 110cm of rainfall per year.  The sound basis for his project was a fertile soil and a micro-climate, particularly suitable to bamboo growth, but also a sufficient supply of water, made possible by deviation of part of the Gardon river, both a boon in its supply of water but a means for catastrophe during spates. These ingredients together enabled Mazet to cultivate numerous species of bamboo and exotic plants.  The employment of many gardeners meant that the upkeep of the gardens became too costly and in 1890, Mazel reluctantly handed over his creation to the Bank of France, which subsequently managed it till 1902 when a certain Gaston Nègre became the new owner. Nègre went about the task of salvaging the existing gardens and building upon them with new species. His son, Maurice, an agronomist, continued the task from 1948 until his death in 1960. The domain was severely damaged by flooding in 1958. Once again, fortunately the gardens were saved from ruin by the efforts of the wife of the late Maurice Nègre, who afterwards passed on the gardens in 1977 to her daughter Muriel and son-in-law, Yves Crouzet, a horticulturist who took charge of the management and development of the garden. Crouzet retired from his work on the garden in 2004, passing on its management to his wife. The Park Fabulous examples of bamboos, remarkable plants with their stunning growth statistics (up to 1 metre per day in tropical climates) can be seen. Twenty metre high bamboos grow in the park. But the gardens also have a stunning array of exotic plants and many attractions: Californian sequoias, a Virginian tulip tree, a Laotian bamboo village, a bonsai garden, bamboo forests, a water garden and a labyrinth. The park has been used to make several films.   2006 - Year round celebration To celebrate 150 years of existance, from March 1st to November 15th, the park has a rich cultural calendar: - Mazel Exhibition: This permanent exhibition relives the history of the gardens since their creation in 1856 - Art and Sculpture exhibition: Contemporary artworks exhibited in situ - April 22nd, the inauguration of the dragon hill with presentation by Erik Borja, designated landscape architect - April 26th to May 8th, a Bonsai exhibition with demonstrations, workshops and conferences - July 6th to September 30th, a Bamboo exhibition takes a close look at bamboo - In August, readings by actors Irène Jacob and Jérôme Kircher - April to June, a photo exhibition in collaboration with the photography school of Arles - April to September, numerous conferences by horticulturists, botanical scientists and nursery specialists. For further information: La Bambouseraie de Prafrance Tel : 33 (0)4 66 61 70 47 http://www.bambouseraie.com/ Top Property Of The Fortnight: Stone house - a converted 'bergerie' - with two stone outbuildings, garden and swimming pool situated in a small hamlet in the southern Cevennes. The approach to the house, by car, is beneath an arch which forms part of a neighbouring house. The house is at an altitude of approximately 400m, which gives it very extensive views - the Mont Ventoux (100km) and Alpine foothills are visible on a clear day. On the ground floor of the house is a living room with fireplace, a kitchen / dining room, a comprehensive utility room, and outside, a shaded patio area. On the upper floor are three bedrooms, a bathroom and lavatory. The ground floor is tiled, and on the upper floor parquet is fitted throughout. The house has ample character with exposed timberwork and masonry. Shutters are painted red in respect of local tradition. The utility area is a recent construction in stone and houses a brand new fuel fired boiler, a shower, lavatory, a water filtering system and washing machine. The larger of the two outbuildings has been converted into a fully independent dwelling with kitchen, two bedroom / sitting areas, shower and lavatory. The second of the two outbuildings has been converted into a workshop. The grounds (1100m²) are flat and extend around the north, east and southern sides of the main house and outward onto the hill. The swimming pool is located at the end of the garden, thus giving it the full eastward view toward Mont Ventoux. It is a simple concrete construction but serves well its purpose. It would not be difficult to embellish it with tiling and fit the appropriate pump and filtering devices - the property has a right to pump water from a spring near the grounds. A farmer in one of the neighbouring houses has a plentiful supply of normal grocery products: vegetables, poultry etc. and a bread van passes through the hamlet every other day. Otherwise, all necessities can be found in Alès (20 minutes) or St. Jean du Gard (15 minutes). Nimes airport can be reached in one and a quarter hours. All in all, a very pretty house in a homely environment with beautiful views and to be considered as a very comprehensive proposition with outbuildings and swimming pool. The asking price is 299,600€.           http://www.jamespropertiesfrance.com/viewpropNP.php?id=313  +33 626 581 415 Enquiries can be made through the following page: http://www.jamespropertiesfrance.com/contact.php About James Properties France: Based in Montpellier in the south of France, bringing to you a carefully picked selection of properties within a 70 mile radius - with the occasional more distant exception - that are chosen for their combinations of attributes, most notably: - Setting of outstanding natural beauty - Distinct character or unusual features - Quality of renovation or authenticity - Value for money James Properties France serves primarily an English speaking, though often highly Francophile clientele looking to move or own a second home in the south of France around such places as Uzes, Nîmes, Montpellier, Anduze, St. Hippolyte du Fort, the Southern Cevennes, Gignac and Clermont l'Herault and the Hauts Cantons. Besides being a rich source of housing options, James Properties France represents a useful accompaniment during the process of viewing and purchasing a house. If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please click on the following link: www.jamespropertiesfrance.com/unsubscribe.php |