The symposia held by ALLÉES-AVENUES /allées d'avenir/ are intended to increase knowledge about the special cultural and natural-heritage aspects of tree avenues.

This involves unveiling facets of avenues that are not studied to any great extent or brought to the fore, and to provide the public with new knowledge and resources for better preservation and appreciation of avenues.

The symposia address both professionals (people working with trees, in landscaping, gardening, roads, the environment, etc.) and an enlightened public (private landowners, lovers of avenues, persons involved in tourism, in cultural activities, other engaged individuals). By bringing professionals and non-professionals together, the symposiums open the way for joint development of preservation initiatives.

Held every three years, they are major events in terms of their international participation, their scientific character, the originality of the issues addressed, and their outreach beyond professional circles.

The international symposium of 2018 brought together 110 participants (from 12 countries on 4 continents) who learned about the memorial avenues that, inspired by France’s tree-lined roads, are a feature of many communities in the English-speaking world, in particular. It was the seed from which grew an exhibition. And it has produced a comic album to be published in 2024.

The international symposium of 2023 (11 countries represented) was inspired by French President Georges Pompidou’s exhortation of 1970: “Safeguarding the trees planted along our roads (…) is essential for the beauty of our country, to protect nature, and to safeguard a truly human environment”. The symposium took place in Carcassonne (France).

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