In Sapois, near La Bresse, the Jardins de Bernadette grow aromatic and culinary herbs using organic farming methods. This small production site can be visited freely and at no cost, echoing, in a very different register, the Jardin d’altitude du Haut-Chitelet already featured on this site. Here is what you’ll find there and how to plan the visit.
A garden of aromatic and culinary herbs in Sapois
The Jardins de Bernadette is a family-run operation located at the site known as Le Haut du Tôt, in the commune of Sapois, which the Bouchot crosses before joining the Moselotte at Vagney. The grower cultivates herbal tea plants and culinary herbs, along with the fruits, flowers and plants used to make jams, syrups and essential oils, following organic farming rules, according to the Vosges Tourisme listing, the tourism site of the Vosges department council.
The site lies within the Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges: the growing beds stretch along the forest edge, in a mid-mountain setting typical of the Vagney and Le Syndicat area. Unlike the Jardin d’altitude du Haut-Chitelet, which brings together alpine species from around the world for botanical purposes, the Jardins de Bernadette focus on local, culinary production: people come here for cooking uses and herbal teas, not for a scientific collection.
This contrast is what makes the site worth including in a stay in the Hautes-Vosges. On one side, a reference botanical garden on the ridges, focused on mountain plant diversity. On the other, a small family business in the valley, focused on the practical use of plants: herbal tea, condiment, syrup or essential oil. Both sites tell the same region’s story from two different angles.
What to see on site
The self-guided visit takes you through the aromatic and culinary herb crops. The grower also offers a tour of the drying room, where harvested plants are prepared before packaging, but only by advance reservation.
On the way out of the garden, the on-site shop lets visitors take home dried herbal teas, jams made with organic cane sugar, fruit and flower syrups, or essential oils. Products can also be ordered through the official website’s online shop.
The La Bresse tourist office also notes that, in season, the site hosts outdoor photo exhibitions set up along the walking route: a way to extend the outing beyond the crops alone. The programme changes from year to year, so it’s worth checking what’s on display before you go.
Practical information
Address: 1 Le Peupré, Le Haut du Tôt, 88120 Sapois.
Opening hours: every day, public holidays included, from 10am to 12pm and then from 2pm to 6pm, according to the estate’s official website.
Prices: the garden visit is free. The drying room can only be visited by reservation.
Groups and pets: groups are welcome, as are pets, according to the Vosges Tourisme listing.
Payment methods: card, cheques, cash and American Express are accepted on site, according to the Massif des Vosges tourism portal listing.
Before setting off, a quick phone call helps confirm the day’s opening hours, especially on a public holiday or outside peak season. The visit takes place on foot around the fields, left freely accessible just above the greenhouses: closed shoes are more comfortable than sandals, especially after rain.
A nature walk to combine with the surrounding area
The Jardins de Bernadette make for a short outing, a good complement to a fuller day in the Hautes-Vosges. The Vagney and La Bresse area brings together several natural sites offering a change of pace: the floating peat bog at lac de Lispach, the Grande Cascade de Tendon and its waterfall, or the glacial landscapes of lac de Retournemer.
For a full day heading towards the Col de la Schlucht, in the opposite direction within the Hautes-Vosges, the guide to the Col de la Schlucht and its hikes lets you continue on to the Jardin d’altitude du Haut-Chitelet. Alternatively, for a longer trip towards the north of the massif, lac de Pierre-Percée offers a completely different landscape, between pink sandstone cliffs and a large body of water.
The Jardins de Bernadette suit a quiet morning or late afternoon, fitting neatly between two hikes or before a meal in the Moselotte valley. The visit stays short, but it gives a concrete glimpse of local farming activity, away from the massif’s major tourist sites.
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Frequently asked questions
Where are the Jardins de Bernadette located?
The official address is 1 Le Peupré, 88120 Sapois, at the site known as Le Haut du Tôt. Sapois is crossed by the Bouchot, which joins the Moselotte at Vagney, and lies within the Parc naturel régional des Ballons des Vosges.
What are the opening hours of the Jardins de Bernadette?
The estate's official website lists the gardens as open every day, public holidays included, from 10am to 12pm and then from 2pm to 6pm.
Is there an entrance fee?
The self-guided visit of the gardens is free, according to the Vosges Tourisme listing, the tourism site of the Vosges department council. A visit to the drying room requires reservation. Groups and pets are welcome.