Symbol of immortality: The marvelous larch. Tree of light and colors. Honey tree.     

Are you familiar with the larch tree?

You've already seen it, of course…

In the mid-mountains, it adorns north-facing slopes, while higher up, it can be found on both sides, and you may have mistaken it, in summer, for its cousins, the other conifers, firs or spruces. Like them, it likes to grow tall and slender, in groups, tightly packed with its fellows. But it also thrives in poor soils, dry air, and the intense sunlight of high altitudes.

Come closer, and you can get to know this conifer in larch forests, but you will also find it scattered, sometimes solitary, stunted and twisted, exposed to all winds, in hostile environments such as rocky cliff faces, scree slopes, and alluvial fans. It is a "pioneer" tree since its seeds give rise to future forests when they fall on soil suitable for its development, such as alpine meadows or even poorer soils. 

It adapts to all types of soil. On a steep slope, in winter, the thick blanket of snow exerts pressure on the base of the trunk. As the winters progress, the trunk bends and grows remarkably into a "hook-shaped" form, eventually reaching a vertical position.

Come closer, look at this elegant conifer with its conical shape, drooping branches, and light, soft foliage. Its straight trunk, with its grey and reddish-brown bark, smooth then fissured, rises towards the sky.

It grows slowly (20 years to reach 4 meters in height) and can reach 40 meters in height. It can live for 600 years. The oldest larch in Europe grew in Switzerland and has a name: Bala 20. It is between 850 and 1000 years old, has a circumference of 9,10 meters, and is 30 meters tall! And the smallest larch grew in the Pelvoux massif at an altitude of 2800 meters and is no more than 30 centimeters tall!

Larch needles don't prick. Touch them. You'll be surprised. They're light and very soft. Depending on the season, they change color, from the initial light green of spring, to the yellow of summer, and then to the orange of autumn. The larch forest then offers an unforgettable, vibrant spectacle.

The larch is the only conifer that loses its needles.

In winter, the tree is bare. The forest looks dead. The larch is the only deciduous conifer. It is very resistant to cold because its very thick bark is impermeable to frost.

In spring, life resumes, and it's another festival of colors. The small yellow male flowers produce pollen which, thanks to the wind, fertilizes the bright pink female cones. The light green needles also grow. In summer, the female cones turn brown and develop scales.

The scales dry, open and release the small winged seeds which the wind will carry away and sow, where new larches will soon grow.

It is nicknamed the "tree of light" because the sun shines through its light needles. A larch tree is never dark. The soil, rich with the humus of fallen needles, allows the growth of many plants and flowers: wood geraniums, blueberries etc., while tits, finches, treecreepers etc. nest and chirp in its high foliage.

Take a walk among the larches. They will transmit their strength to you, and you will never forget their splendor and their soothing and invigorating company.

Its resilience.

This exceptional tree does, however, have an enemy: the caterpillar of a small moth, the larch budworm, which devastates the larch sapling by devouring the base of the young needles. In just a few days, the forest is dried out, as if in winter. The sight is heartbreaking. But the robust larch resists the attacks and does not die. It resumes its natural cycle and turns green again. A model of resilience!

Its resources.

The Briançon windfall. It gave its name to the larch tree (etymologically "honey tree") because its sap was compared to honey. This sap consists of drops of sugary liquid that solidify upon exposure to air, secreted by the larch's needles. It is highly prized by ants and other honey-loving insects.

But it has also been widely used in traditional medicine for medicinal properties that we are trying to identify.

Larch flowers are used in the manufacture of "Bach Flowers" echoing the qualities of the tree, strength and resistance, to regulate emotions and give self-confidence.

 Since you are curious and have a sweet tooth, you will not leave the region without having tasted the delicious and original larch flower jams, liqueurs and cooked derivatives such as the succulent larch flower sorbet.

Resin Harvested by drilling holes in the trunks, this is Venice turpentine, from which resistant varnishes and paint thinners are made, already known in the 15th century and used by the Flemish painter Van Eyck.

It is also used in pharmacy for its antiseptic properties.

It is nicknamed the "tree of light"

A noble wood

It has all the qualities of an exceptional wood that never rots.

Its high resin content gives it great resistance to drought and extreme cold. Its strong, durable, rot-resistant wood is used for the construction of frameworks, including marine structures, exterior and interior joinery, roofing shingles, cabinetmaking, parquet flooring, etc.