From the vegetable garden to the orchard
The de Menthon family’s interest in nature is part of a lineage. In the 19th century, the orangery was built, and at the beginning of the 20th century, vegetable gardens were designed, followed by a greenhouse. The activity diversifies with the plantation of an orchard below. In the middle of the 20th century, François de Menthon (1900-1984), as an elected official, worked for the purity of the water of Lake Annecy. Finally, since 2016, Maurice and Pierre-Henri de Menthon have given new life to the surroundings of the castle, not spared by time.
Thus, a vegetable garden and orchard project was born. Since then, the 19th century garden has regained its vegetable plots, its medicinal square, its ponds, all not far from the old greenhouses now in use. The boxwood hedges remind us of the peacefulness of a structured nature, linked to a certain romanticism.
Overlooking the lake, facing the sunset, the soil is quite favorable to the planting of an orchard. Thus, following in the footsteps of their great-grandfather, one hundred years later, Maurice and Pierre-Henri de Menthon decided to plant a new orchard.
These initiatives have permaculture as their bonding principle. The rhythm of the earth is thus respected. In order to share these ethical values, a cycle of conferences integrates a variety of subjects related to this practice.
SALE OF PRODUCTS: by appointment only. Contact at +33 7 67 86 56 69
DEDICATED VISITS: the vegetable garden-orchard, the greenhouse and the medicinal and aromatic patch can be visited by the public of the castle, the surrounding schools, the associations through dedicated visits. They are organized by appointment.
COLLABORATION WITH TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTICIPATIVE WORKSHOPS: the castle’s vegetable garden welcomes trainees. In particular, a collaboration has been set up with the CFMM of Thônes, www.cfmm.fr illustrated above (video – presentation of the project).
GREENING UP WORKSHOPS FOR COMPANIES: organization of permaculture workshops. Discover that many of these principles of interaction are transposable to many human organizations and in particular to companies.
Hugues Devries
After 25 years spent in the corporate world in different functions, Hugues decided to make his passion his main activity and launched the creation of the food gardens of the Château de Menthon following the principles of permaculture. Trained as an engineer (EPFL) and endowed with a true sense of observation, Hugues draws on his dual background to weave links between the business world and the natural and living ecosystems that surround us.
