When it comes to Swiss National Parks, the Arboretum in Aubonne is one of the best. A unique botanic park featuring 3,000 different species of trees and shrubs from all over the world’s temperate zones, the Arboretum is open all year-round and is free of charge.
Spring and summer are a great time of the year to discover the Arboretum’s orchards, which feature many heritage fruit varieties; “La forêt des abeilles” trail and the pathways meandering across the Aubonne river valley.
We spent Mother’s Day at the Arboretum and enjoyed what the kids declared was “the best picnic EVER”, Expat Husband’s verdict was that “this was real Heidi land” and our 9 month-old pup had a blast too, breaking into one of his crazy-happy sprints the moment we got out of the car.
Yes, if you have a dog you’ll be happy to know they are very welcome at the Arboretum, as long as they are kept on a leash as the park is a national fauna reserve.
We laid down our picnic blanket near a pond filled with tadpoles and the kids – as you can imagine – ended up soaked & with wet shoes, so remember to bring a change of clothes and some towels if you’re planning a visit!
We brought our own picnic but the park’s buvette organizes “Family Brunches” a few times a year. We didn’t try it this time but took some pics instead — looks scrumptious, doesn’t it?
The next Family Brunches will be on Sunday 24th of May 2015; 5th of July 2015; 16th of August 2015; 11th of October 2015 and 1st of November 2015 from 11.30am until 2pm. Prices are 42CHF for adults, free for children under 5 and 3CHF per year of age from 6 to 12 years-old. Places must be booked in advance at contact@arboretum.ch
Last but not least, the Arboretum has a rich calendar of events and activities for all ages, including free Wednesday workshops and guided walks for kids, live concerts, spring and autumn festivals and much more. Click here for a complete list of what’s coming up in the next few weeks.
The snaps above don’t do the Arboretum justice – with 500 acres of luxuriant meadows, fishing ponds and the river Aubonne running through it, this is a wonderful place for a family picnic, a nature walk or a day-out with friends.
PS. Just in case you’re wondering, this is NOT a sponsored post but a genuine account of our day-out at the Arboretum. If you go, drop us a line to let us know what you thought of it!
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ARBORETUM
Unique in Switzerland, the Arboretum Aubonne was established in 1968. It covers an area of some 130 hectares contained within a perimeter of 200 ha of forests and meadows. It has about 4,000 woody plants. The Arboretum is pursuing a goal of scientific, educational and recreational: awareness and appreciation of trees.
His collection contains 3,000 species and varieties of trees and shrubs from all temperate zones of the earth. They are grouped by species and divided into copses highlighting shapes and colors according to their climatic and soil requirements, taking into account their integration into the natural environment.
The Arboretum is crossed from north to south by the Aubonne, torrential river born at the foot of the Jura, south-east of Bière. In addition to the collections of woody plants, the Arboretum also includes the area pomological with “groves of the past” bringing together old fruit varieties, wild roses (rosehips), reconstructions of forest northwest of the United States (Ecotype Washington-Oregon) and Japan.
Arboretum national du Vallon de l’Aubonne
Chemin de Plan 92
CH-1170 Aubonne
Tel. 021 808 51 83
