Haussimont

and its themed gardens

Haussimont is an agricultural village located in the heart of the vast plains of Champagne. The village has been awarded “4 fleurs” status since 1985. It is known for its special themed gardens which are home to a wide variety of plant life. While walking, you’ll discover a marvellous floral heritage along with a wealth of fauna and flora.

An oasis on the plains of Champagne

For almost half a century, the inhabitants of Haussimont have been actively involved in embellishing the village and promoting sustainable development, with biodiversity as its guiding principle. As a result, the village has constantly won awards for its work:

A “4 fleurs (4 flowers)” village since 1985
French National Flower Award since 1989
In 2007 the French National Tree Award

In the centre of the village, Place Fontaine Rouge, the educational wood, the special themed gardens and the sensory garden are a real pleasure to explore with family or friends.

These locations together with the bees that pollinate the area, contribute to maintaining a high level of biodiversity, and create a rich living environment.

Haussimont Jardin Sensoriel Nature Chalons Agglo 1 © Haussimont

The sensory garden

Haussimont Jardin Sensoriel Nature Chalons Agglo Chateau Eau © Haussimont

Through plant cells, this garden has been designed to stimulate the 5 senses:

Touch, which can be felt by caressing the delicate or smooth bark of certain trees, or soft or rough leaves.

Sound through the rustling of the leaves of the various trees, shrubs and the babbling of the water.

Sight is symbolised by a wide range of vivid and paler colours displayed for our pleasure by magnificent rose bushes, various dogwoods and other shrubs with colourful foliage.

Taste is to be found in the orchard, which contains several varieties of red fruit that can be tasted on the spot during the summer months.

The sense of smell is stimulated by the many plants chosen for their particularly intoxicating properties with sweet, and fruity fragrances.

The site is designed to provide a welcoming environment with easy access, adapted to the needs of people with disabilities (including tactile paving, flash codes, text in Braille, and audio terminals with a reading strip).

Square Fontaine Rouge

In the heart of the village, you can discover a charming little square, an intimate space, ideal for relaxing, which includes a pond with an atypical fountain. Indeed, it represents a pile of books made of bronze, symbol of knowledge and knowledge.

At night, unique lighting gives this place another dimension that deserves your attention in a soft and cozy atmosphere.

The themed gardens

The living garden

This public garden, located in front of the water tower, is designed for relaxation and educational purposes.

In addition to the beautiful flower beds, it includes a petanque area, chess and checkers tables, a panel on the evolution of life and the universe, an armillary sphere and educational terminals to learn about the local flora and fauna.

The textile and dye plant garden

This small medieval-inspired walled garden is located within the walls of the Saint Gengoulf Church and is made up of 9 squares planted with essences.

These, until the 19th century, were used to produce a range of dyes and textiles.

The wet garden

Haussimont has the Somme running through it, a small river 60 kilometres long which rises in Sommesous and flows into the Marne at Jâlons. The Somme can be seen from the welcome area near the wet garden, via a wooden walkway on stilts. This extremely pastoral area also provides an opportunity to admire the natural reed beds.

There are also tables and benches nearby for picnics.

The dry garden

In this garden, the plants chosen (such as bear’s ears and aromatic sage) do not require any water because they capture their own water resources, either through their extensive root system or through their foliage which allows them to retain moisture.

The mulching of this bed is made from local materials, namely brick chamotte clay, a nod to the old tile factory in the village.

Floral walks

To ensure that you don’t miss out on anything in the village and to enjoy the lush surroundings, there are a number of fun and culturally interesting walks available to visitors:

– – The themed garden walk which allows you to discover the different gardens mentioned above.

– – The biodiversity walk which leads you to the educational wood. This 15-hectare woodland has been developed in partnership with the French League for the Protection of Birds and the National Forestry Office. On the discovery trail there is an arboretum and information panels. As you walk along the path, you can spot the woodland’s wildlife from the viewing point. Ponds, an apiary, nesting boxes, feeders and insect hotels are also provided to host and maintain a variety of wildlife.

– the path of knowledge.