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A meeting with Claude Lagarde – Nature guide – Sylvotherapist

In this section, you will find the poetic stories of Claude Lagarde, a nature guide in the forest of Fontainebleau.

Claude Lagarde was born in 1947. From a very young age he followed in the footsteps of his grandfather to discover the forest. Accompanied by his dog, he wandered through the undergrowth of the Auvergne in search of mushrooms, forest fruits, unusual trees … The years go by, but not the powerful attraction of the forest. Claude Lagarde then became a technical forestry officer in the East and then in the South to try to better understand the forest.

In 1997, he arrived in Fontainebleau, where he learned more and more about trees as an ONF forestry technician. Since 2012, Claude Lagarde has been an independent forest guide and biodiversity consultant. He introduces people to new experiences, particularly through the practice of silvotherapy, and shares his infinite knowledge of biodiversity in the forest through conferences, the media, and university projects.

My connection to nature

« The forest has always been a part of my life. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always needed the forest and I’ve always been able to satisfy that need. I have put all my energy into understanding it through my job as a forester specializing in forest ecology.

Thus I learned from the forest and tried to grasp the sometimes tenuous links between the different elements that make it up: the soil, the climate, the trees, the plants, the animals that we see, those that we hear and the more discreet ones, which are hidden in the earth single incontri fitness or in the vegetation. The forest permeated me, taught me to rest my mind. I never went out of a forest as I had entered it. The only certainty is that the forest is a whole. Each living being depends on others who depend on it in all modesty. The forest is beautiful, this wild beauty that makes you want to stay huddled in the hollow of a tree.

I think we share a common past with the tree that dates back to the dawn of time. For me, going to the forest is like going home. Today, our links to the tree have become looser and yet, by being attentive we still find immense benefits for our health. Immersing ourselves in a forest far away from all our daily noises gives our life a breath of fresh air. The forest of Fontainebleau with its hundred-year-old trees and its preserved nature allows this immersion in all intimacy in the heart of deep nature. »

Sylvotherapist and Emotional Passenger

« Taking a forest bath reduces stress, boosts energy and soothes the mind. It is into this healing forest that I invite visitors to enter. I would like to share this long personal and professional experience with you through my guided tours on the themes of “art in the forest”, “forest ecology” and “silvotherapy”.

During my visits, I have lived many precious moments marked by unforgettable encounters, magnificent landscapes, atmospheres of serenity. I particularly remember this time when, thanks to meditation and relaxation, I led forest bathers to fall asleep at the foot of a tree, so much so that they had let go. Indeed, the forest bath is an experience that goes beyond a simple stroll, it allows you to recharge your batteries and refocus on yourself. The quietness letting the sounds of nature, the wind, the sun’s rays, the smell of the trees, the soothing green light, everything converges towards a moment of reconnection with nature. »