Weeping Beech in Bayeux
Classified as a “natural monument” in 1932, this uniquely shaped tree is especially remarkable for the vastness of its canopy, supported by poles and cables, covering nearly 1,250 m². It was planted in the 1860s, around the time the botanical garden was created by the Bühler brothers. In 2024, the Weeping Beech of Bayeux was elected “French Tree of the Year.”
Millennial Oak of Allouville
In the Caux region, this tree, estimated to be between 800 and 1,200 years old, is considered the oldest oak in France! Its trunk, with a circumference of nearly 15 meters, has hollowed out so much that it houses two mini chapels, where a hermit is said to have lived. Classified as a historical monument in 1932 and listed as intangible cultural heritage in 2009, the tree holds a special place in local devotion.
Giant Sequoias at the Harcourt Estate
Among the 500 species that have made the Harcourt arboretum famous, established in 1802 by the French Academy of Agriculture, a giant sequoia stands out, appearing as though it came straight from an American forest. Between 150 and 170 years old, it captivates with its exotic look, warm-colored wood, and soft, spongy bark.
Espaliered Pear Tree in Acquigny
The orchard-garden of Acquigny Castle, a Renaissance jewel, houses one of the most astonishing espaliered pear trees known. Leaning against a wall of pink bricks, this tree elegantly extends its 32 branches across a 12-meter span. Planted around 1745, when the garden was created by Pierre Robert le Roux d’Esneval, it still produces excellent pears from an unidentified old variety.
Liberty Tree in Bayeux
Located in the square of the same name, the former courtyard of the Episcopal Palace, this 33-meter plane tree was planted in 1797. To protect this living heritage, classified as a “natural monument” in 1932, the city pedestrianized the square in 2014. Further enhancing its environmental policies, in March 2021, the Bayeux city council adopted the “Declaration of Tree Rights,” proclaimed in the National Assembly in April 2019. Each summer, the Liberty Tree transforms during a colorful nighttime spectacle.
Millennial Yew in Estry
In ancient pagan cults, the yew symbolized the connection between the living and the dead. This might explain its presence at the heart of the cemetery in the village of Estry. With an estimated age of around 1,600 years, its trunk is completely hollow, flanked by two branches over 15 meters long, giving it a majestic and eternal appearance.
Oak of Lambonnière
In the heart of the Perche Regional Natural Park, this pedunculate oak has stood proudly at the crossroads of two paths for more than 500 years. Discovered by chance by a road worker in the village of Pervenchères, it quickly became the protege of the Orne Fauna and Flora Association, which purchased the site in 1993, where the tree continues to thrive.
Remarkable Plane Trees of L’Aigle
In Eugène Pasquis Square, two plane trees have kept each other company for more than 300 years. Standing 25 meters tall, they rival the famous Ents from The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. In 2021, a safety perimeter was established around their roots to protect them. According to botanists, this duo might well become millennial!
“Cask” Oak in the Brotonne Forest
As if holding hands in an eternal circle, five trunks have fused together and then separated, forming a watertight well at their center. Thus, the “Cask” Oak was born 380 years ago. Since then, legend has it that the water collected in the cavity, rich in tannin, can cure skin ailments.
Lancelot of the Lake, King Arthur, and Hippolyte Oaks
For lovers of Arthurian legends, a visit to the Andaines Forest is a must. The “King Arthur’s Walk,” a 6 km trail, allows visitors to meet three symbolic entities: the “Lancelot of the Lake,” “King Arthur,” and “Hippolyte” oaks. Today, these three companions are between 250 and 300 years old and boast impressive dimensions.
