The Gardens of Villa Burrus Park

Created in 1935 by industrialist and botanist André Burrus, Villa Burrus Park spans 3.4 hectares. It houses remarkable trees planted from its inception, such as the American red oak, linden, maple, cedar, majestic ash, and purple beeches. More recently, new species have been added, including the tulip tree, Ginkgo biloba, sequoia, black mulberry, and albizia.

Today, the park is maintained by the Community of Communes of the Argent Valley (CCVA) and the association Un Jardin Passionnément. Since 2003, the latter has developed several themed areas: a "wild" undergrowth, an aromatic and medicinal plant garden, a 700 m² ornamental vegetable garden with an original layout, an educational pond, a tunnel of 230 rose bushes, and a unique patchwork garden. The latter, made up of 18 perennial plots arranged according to the golden ratio, pays tribute to the traditional Amish patchwork art, born in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines at the end of the 17th century.

Visitors can also discover an old greenhouse, a pond, a restored gazebo, and former outbuildings, all contributing to the harmony and serenity of the place. In 2013, the association created Physalis, an imposing living willow structure, the result of a participatory project involving 250 volunteers.

Transformed into a regional music house between 1977 and 1990, the property was purchased in 1997 by the Community of Communes, which installed its offices in the former garages and converted the Villa into a media library in 2004.