Sorting through my past photos I came across some that reminded me of a visit we made to the quaint old French town of La Gacilly in Brittany. The town is unusual in that it is surrounded by what the locals call "Jardin Botanique". However, they are not gardens but fields filled with flowers and herbs. La Gacilly is where Yves Rocher was born and in the late 1950s became their Mayor. He was particularly concerned that youngsters were having to flee the town in order to find work, and decided that he would have to establish a business. A local healer had taught him a recipe for an ointment based on the Lesser celandine - Focaria verna which he decided could be sold by mail order using adverts in the magazine "Ici Paris" - thus began his now worldwide empire.
Interesting! Those are exquisite botanical paintings.
ReplyDeleteI think so too.
DeleteDear Rosemary, the "Lesser calendine" is one of my favourite flowers in spring - they look so healthy and shiny that something in me whispers "Eat them!" (I do not - but am convinced they are powerfully healthy).
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for those beautiful paintings!
Dear Britta - your whispers are right. The Lesser celandine has been used in cooking throughout history. The plant's roots swell up to form bulbs or tubers, which are reputedly delicious and can be eaten as a starchy vegetable. Lesser celandine has been used as potherb in central Europe and the young parts of the plant are added to salads.
DeleteBeen looking at Lesser Celadine for the past two months on walks. I always connect it with Cellophane because the glossy sheen on it looks very similar though I could not find any inspiration/connection to it. Bob.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the Lesser celandine is known as pilewort, so I suspect you can guess what it was used for!
DeleteIt’s a really interesting story and the botanical paintings are lovely. French illustrators have a long history in this genre. Your photographs permit us to get the flavour of the town, too. An enjoyable post, Rosemary.
ReplyDeleteThe French as a nation tend to use more homeopathy and natural products. I recall their great reluctance during the recent pandemic to submit themselves to having the Covid vaccine.
DeleteThank you, the paintings are wonderful as is the history of the town. I remember picking celandines for my mother on Mother's Day but always knew them as just "celandines" and didn't know there was a lesser celandine and, presumably, another variety.
ReplyDeleteThere are four sub species of the Lesser celandine all of which are related to the buttercup family. Strangely, and despite its similar name the Greater celandine is not related - it is related to the poppy family.
DeleteAs a teenager, I noticed advertisements for Yves Rocher products in magazines, and once signed up to get a collection of samples. This is such an interesting story behind the brand. The French pharmacy paintings are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI have never bought any of his products. Because you mentioned signing up having seen an advertisement in a magazine, I have just looked the company up. I should have done so previously before writing this post. It mentions La Gacilly and how 95% of their products are produced in France using the 60 hectares of fields filled with flowers.
Deletehttps://www.yves-rocher.es/nuestros-compromisos
Hello Rosemary, How few buildings today are so charmingly attractive, let alone so well represent what they contain, as is/does the Pharmacie Gacilienne. A very interesting and readable book that discusses many of these herbs or "simples" (where to find them and how to use them) is Euell Gibbons' Stalking the Healthful Herbs.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim - I will look the book up - thank you. It is interesting that you knew the term simples as I did not, and that now gives me the explanation for the title of the book that the practitioner in the painting is holding.
DeleteDear Rosemary - All the things written in this post including the name Yves Rocher is new to me, so interesting. The exterior of the local pharmacy is uniquely beautiful. The paintings are exquisite, both plants and insects.
ReplyDeleteYoko
Dear Yoko - I wish that I had been able to find out more about this attractive pharmacy as there must be a story behind all of the lovely paintings. However, being in France, and the fact that the pharmacy was closed made it difficult to find out more.
DeleteWhat interesting paintings and to know more about Yves Rocher is always interesting Rosemary.
ReplyDeleteI have just discovered that 95% of his products are actually made today using the flowers and herbs from the fields in La Gacilly.
DeleteVery nice paintings.
ReplyDelete... and goodness the name Yves Rocher takes me back, I did use to use some of the products.
All the best Jan
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DeleteGorgeous wooden panels. Looks like a great place to visit. Bx
ReplyDeleteIt is surprising that these beautifully painted panels stand outside in all weathers.
DeleteWhat are those shiny, blue balls in the centre of the flowers? The butterfly is having a look.
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