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Botanical
outing
Guided walks to learn how to recognize edible and medicinal mountain plants
During a hike or along a path, wild plants are often part of the scenery. But they often have forgotten or unknown virtues.
A tradition of wild picking
In the mountain regions, gathering wild herbs has been an essential part of the local population's diet. Harvesting edible plants was done all year round in the Alps. Being remote from doctors, knowing and using medicinal plants growing around home was a necessity.
There was no need for going far to find source material of various preparations : dried for herb teas, macerated in alcool, aromatics for milk or cheese, fresh in soups or gratins ... Plants were picked by the wayside, on the meadows or in the forest.
Learning about plants
I offer you botanical excursions (or courses), focusing on the discovery of edible and medicinal wild plants. All along the walk we will learn botanic bases to recognize the different flowers and plants families. Not boring at all, this first step will offer us good surprises and will ensure to not later confuse with toxic plants.
Chamrousse surroundings, near Grenoble, presents varied typical North Alpine habitats : alpine meadows, grasslands, peatland, mounatin forests, waysides and so, a great diversity of plants. Opportunity to realize not only berries and mushrooms are edible. Some trees, sometimes their fruits are excellent natural medicine. Aromatic virtues of many plants are surprising alternatives for your recipes.
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Every season it's plants to gather : young shoots in spring, aromatics in summer, berries, mushrooms and wild fruits in autumn, even winter sometime offers to the hiker the opportunity to taste nature.
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Initiate to recognize plants is the beginning of seeing your hikes and walks with a new angle. Soon we don't know where to step, fearing to crush some magic plant !
An activity for everyone
Instead of reading books at home, or downloading an app with approximate results, a excursion with a mountain leader will give you the possibility of a sensory and interactive approach. It's also the opportunity to remember with tasteful shared recipes or local stories.
Our trips are adapted to every audience, for groups of friends or with your family, for young curious or older enthusiasts !