La grand prée

Le Mans, France, France

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La Grand Prée (Arboretum de la Grand Prée) in Le Mans, France, is a private arboretum created in 1989 by amateur beekeeper Norbert Menu and his wife Line on their original 3.51-hectare property called "La Grande Prée," which they later expanded to 5.2 hectares by purchasing three additional small plots.

The arboretum features over 3,000 different tree and shrub taxa from around the world, organized by plant family, including many rare collection trees like Cephalotaxus harringtonia, Daphniphyllum macropodum, and Fagus sylvatica 'Rohan gold'. A small stream called "les Epinettes" runs through the site, creating both humid and dry areas that support diverse vegetation, including natural flora like cyclamen, digitalis, and various mushrooms, as well as wildlife such as waterfowl, snakes, and squirrels.

Norbert retired in 1994 to dedicate himself fully to the project, and his son François now takes visitors on guided tours lasting nearly 4 hours, with free visits available only by appointment. The arboretum is located near the Grande Sapinière forest massif at 2 impasse Petit Pavillon in Le Mans, Sarthe, and remains relatively unknown despite its exceptional collection of trees from four continents.