PALMS 2010 / PROGRAMME OF THE PRE-CONFERENCE TOUR

As a complement to the 3 day Palms 2010 scientific conference, a unique opportunity to visit a selection of magnificent gardens located on the Mediterranean Riviera coast on either side of the Italian-French border is being offered to conference participants and their accompanying family members or friends. The programme takes place immediately prior to the Palms 2010 conference, giving attendees time to savour the unique gardens and landscapes of this beautiful coastal region before heading to (or back to) Montpellier. The programme allows comfortable time for participants to settle into their hotels in Montpellier the evening before the Palms 2010 conference begins. This excursion has been put together thanks to the kind efforts of the Palm community at the Centro Studi Ricerche per le Palme in Sanremo.

The Riviera coast has a large number of gardens of botanical and historical interest, most of which were initiated by keen plant collectors taking advantage of the remarkably mild climate of this region compared with other locations of the same latitude. For this reason, a stupendous variety of warm temperate plants mingles with a wide range of more tender species usually associated with more tropical climes, including a number of interesting surprises from the palm family! One of the many features of note is the historic date palm collection of Bordighera and Sanremo, the remains of a bygone era when the leaves of these plants were extensively used to make tresses for religious ceremonies. This custom has been revived in recent years and a dynamic programme aimed at preserving the unique and beautiful palm landscape is now in full swing. This and many other interesting local features will be included in the guided tour. For any plant enthusiast who has never visited this region, the pre-conference tour is an unmissable opportunity!

The provisional details of the tour are as follows:

DEPART from Nice orMontpellier

Reception at Sanremo : aperitif and tour of the gardens of the Villa Nobel (Villa Ormond if bad weather). This villa belonged to the founder of the famous prize which bears his name.

DAY 1. SANREMO AND BORDIGHERA

Parc Ormond: a palm conservatory.  This very old palm collection became a municipal garden in the 19^th century and is today an important collection of acclimatised palm species.

Villa Garnier: an exceptional country house.  The famous architect Charles Garnier built his residence here, in the heart of the historic palm grove of Bordighera.

The historic palm grove: an experimental palm collection. Founded in the Middle Ages, the historic palm grove is today the site of the experimental Phoenix garden.

Winter’s Garden: the first palm acclimatisation garden.  Created by Ludwig Winter, this nursery was one of the main original sources of palms disseminated in Europe.

DAY 2. VENTIMIGLIA and MENTON

Built at the beginning of the 19^th century  by Ferdinand Bac, this garden is a typical example of oriental plant exoticism

DAY 3. CAP FERRAT

Villa Rothschild: a unique collection of landscaped gardens. It is surrounded by nine theme gardens, attributed to the landscape architects Achille Duchêne and Harold Peto

Le jardin des Cèdres: the richest botanical garden of the région.  Formerly a property of the Belgian King Leopold, it contains 14000 species of tropical plants and twenty five heated greenhouses.

Return from Nice to Montpellier

COST OF EXCURSION

Total price: 5 days / 4 nights = 500 euros (i.e. 100 euros/day)

This price includes: transportation, entry tickets, hotel accommodation with breakfast, lunches and two aperitif receptions in the evening. Not included: evening meals and meals in the train.