French nursery looks after Christmas trees for next year

A small nursery in Finistère has established a festive sideline – looking after clients' sapins de Noël during the year, so they can have them back again the following Christmas.

The nursery, La Pépinère du Bord de Mer, in the commune of Landunvez, specialises in ornamental plants which have been grown or adapted to life near the sea, where salt-laden winds can devastate more delicate plants.

“We also sell Christmas trees, and then this just grew from a discussion we had on how one could have an ecologically responsible Christmas tree,” Jean-Baptiste Le Meur, who manages the nursery with Corentin Arzur told The Connexion.

The trees, planted in pots, are sold the first year for between €28 and €32, with instructions on how to water them and keep them in good condition over the festive period.

After Christmas they are bought back, still in their pots, and stored with their owner’s name on them.

“If necessary we re-pot them if they have got too big, but usually they stay in the same pots which are either kept above ground, or planted in the ground,” Mr Le Meur said.

“Then next year the client comes back and can have the same tree for €12.

"Sometimes the tree in its second or third year does not have the same form as the first year when they are at their prettiest, but clients are still happy to see them.”

The scheme has been going since 2017, with more people opting for it every year.

“Christmas is a time to be happy, and this is something which makes people happy,” said Mr Le Meur.