La Bambouseraie Joan Brisson Travel Guide

La Bambouseraie Joan Brisson, located in the heart of Matha, near Cognac, is a surprising botanical garden born from Joan Brisson's passion for botany. What began as a poplar grove transformed into a lush landscape featuring over 60 varieties of bamboo collected from Asia, alongside tropical and rare plants.Established in 1999 after a storm cleared the original poplar trees, the bambouseraie has become a haven of tranquility. Joan Brisson, inspired by a visit to a bamboo park in Anduze, channeled his botanical fascination into creating this unique space. The garden is not only a visual treat but also an interactive experience, where visitors are encouraged to engage their senses.During a guided tour, which are offered three times a day in the summer, you'll discover medicinal, aphrodisiac, and even shamanic plants. You can taste young bamboo shoots, sample berries that taste like caramel, and experience the burst of citrus from lemon caviar. Keep an eye out for the crowned cranes, Himalayan pheasants and other Asian birds that now call the bambouseraie home. The garden is accessible to people with reduced mobility.