It is a humbling experience to penetrate the towering Haute Futaie
(fully grown) oak forests planted in the days of Colbert,
district administrator to King Louis 14th, who regenerated
many forests in France in the second half of the 17th century!


These cathedrals of trees towering thirty metres above our heads were
initially earmarked for ship building. Though their timber is now used
for other purposes, some breathtaking 200 year-old trees take us
back in time. This invaluable heritage is ours thanks to meticulous
and sustainable stewardship by the French National Forest Office.


It is somewhat an act of faith to grow oaks, requiring the dedication,
passion and rigour of ten generations of foresters
to make this high forest what it is today.