French Oak Open Days 2024

Four phenomenal oak collections in as many days in a jaunt around southwestern France (plus an optional hop into northeastern Spain)

The French Oak Open Days 2024 will kick off on Saturday, June 8, with a Quercus Study Day at Arboretum des Pouyouleix, organized in conjunction with the International Dendrology Society. Following a presentation on the genus focused on oak identification, Béatrice Chassé, former IOS President and long-time Editor of International Oaks, the IOS Journal, will show us the world-class collection of oaks she has created with Gérard Lionet, started in 2003 and recognized in 2012 as a National Collection of oaks by the Conservatoire des Collections Végétales Spécialisées (Conservatory of Specialized Plant Collections).

The following day we will visit Arboretum du Passadou where we will be received by owner Jean-Louis Hélardot, known to many as the creator of the Oaks of the World website.

Monday will see us at Arboretum de la Bergerette to view another National Collection for oaks, the property of former IOS President Shaun Haddock.

Our fourth destination on Tuesday, June 11, will be Arboretum de Chocha, the National Collection for Mexican Oaks. We will be hosted by its creator Michel Duhart, recipient of an IOS Special Service Award in 2015, and his grandson Michel de Broglie, current caretaker of the collection.

As an optional extra, participants may wish to extend the trip by visiting the Iturraran Botanical Garden on Wednesday, June 12. If you'd like to do this, be sure to let us know when you reserve your place for the event.

The approximate locations of the arboreta we will visit can be viewed on a map here.

For further information about this event and to reserve your place, please write to tours@internationaloaksociety.org