Jardin des Fontaines Pétrifiantes, Garden and tourist attraction in La Sône, France.
The Jardin des Fontaines Pétrifiantes is a garden with expansive grounds that holds over 800 plant species and features natural waterfalls and pools throughout. The layout spreads across multiple sections, each with different plantings and water features that structure the visitor path.
The site emerged in the 1990s when two brothers transformed a former industrial area into a designed garden with natural springs. This conversion from abandoned industrial land to green space with botanical collections represents a shift in land use and purpose.
The place brings together several design traditions, from English-style plantings to contemporary layouts that show how different approaches coexist in one space. Walking through reveals how each section connects and creates a coherent whole.
The best time to visit is during the warmer months when all plants are in full bloom and water features are most active. The grounds can be explored on foot, with established paths leading through the different sections.
The defining feature here is a natural process where mineral-rich springs deposit calcium crystals on objects and plants, gradually turning them into stone. This petrification happens on site, creating an unusual landscape of calcified elements.
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