We went to visit Yves Rocher, but he wasn't in. Most of the rest of Gacilly was present, so we wandered around and looked at them and their wares and took some photos of scenes which interested me and which I thought would be less likely to be already on the 'net or postcarded.
Yves Rocher started producing and marketing cosmetics and toiletries made from organically-grown plants way back before it was fashionable, and made a plenty of money doing so. He's put a lot of the money into his home village, in rebuilding and renovating, and set up a scheme to support artisans and craftspeople there. It's rather like Portmeirion in Wales, but using the original old cottages instead of mad new build. There are the added attractions of walled gardens, and indeed plants all over the place, even being left in peace to grow where they wish in pavements and the edges of steps, like minor deities. It was surprising to see a stray strawberry plant in happy flower between wall and pavement.
The crafts are of course very good and the jewellery particularly lovely, but I only succumbed to the lure of some stuff to put round pot and tub plants so that you don't have to water them. Herbs and lemon balm in the house, safe while I'm away!
Gacilly also happens to have a particularly beautiful river, one of those rich silky stretches of water with rocks and a weir for added textural variety.
We walked/wheeled down to the park and basked in sunlight and apple-blossom scent. A park with fruit trees and herb gardens. Marvellous.
On the way back there was this mind-boggling building (link to Christophe Chauvin's photo).
The artisans of Gacilly
The Yves Rocher Foundation
What they sell
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