Arboretum du Vallon de l'Aubonne

Unique in Switzerland, the National Arboretum is a vast park featuring collections of tree and shrub species and varieties from every continent that can be acclimatized in our region. The Arboretum pursues a scientific, educational and recreational objective: to promote knowledge and appreciation of trees. Created in 1968, the Arboretum covers an area of some 120 ha, within an agricultural and forestry perimeter of around 200 ha.

It is crossed from north to south by the Aubonne, a torrential river that rises at the foot of the Jura mountains, southeast of Bière. It is fed by two tributaries, the Toleure and the Sandoleyre. Its lowest point is at an altitude of 500m, while the highest reaches 670m. The Arboretum's orientation, from the Jura to Lake Geneva, is highly favorable to vegetation. The valley carved out by the Aubonne is a zone of instability with a varied relief. As a result, exposures are diverse and favorable to the introduction of a large number of woody plant species.

Its collections bring together over 4000 species and varieties of trees and shrubs from all temperate zones of the globe. They are grouped by species and arranged in groves, highlighting shapes and colors according to their climatic and edaphic requirements, while taking into account their integration into the natural environment.

In addition to its collections of woody plant species, the Arboretum also includes the pomology sector, with its "orchards of yesteryear" featuring ancient fruit varieties, wild roses (rosehips) and reconstructions of forests in the north-western United States and Japan.