Arboretum de La Fosse

Fontaine-les-Coteaux, France, France

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The Arboretum de La Fosse, also known as Parc de La Fosse, is a historic 25-hectare botanical park located at 121 La Fosse in Fontaine-les-Coteaux, near Montoire-sur-le-Loir in the Loir-et-Cher department of Centre-Val de Loire, France, on a hillside in the Loir river valley.

Created in 1751, it is one of the oldest arboretums and botanical parks in France, with its greatest development occurring in the 19th century when exotic plant species were introduced, and it was the first arboretum to receive Monument Historique protection in 1978.

The park contains thousands of trees and shrubs from around the world planted by eight generations of the same family since 1751, including remarkable specimens such as Lebanon cedres dating from 1810 and a Laricio pine from 1820, along with rare plants and landscaped pathways. The site features an early 19th-century pigeon tower (temple-pigeonnier) built in 1817-1818 with an exterior gallery overlooking the park, and various buildings including a barn and orangery.

The arboretum fulfills a triple role of conservation, experimentation, and observation, and is open to groups of at least 10 paying visitors by appointment, with admission priced at €15 per person, free for minors accompanied by parents and one guide per 20 paying visitors, and guided commentary tours available for an additional €80 group fee, with visits typically lasting 1.5 to 2 hours.