“He was an introverted man who liked to be quiet. Someone close to nature. He had his fishing spot, not very far from here…” Two and a half years ago, Clarisse was grieving to lose her husband to cancer. But this mother from the Angevin region did not at all imagine seeing him resting in a cemetery, a “cold” place which makes “uncomfortable”, according to her. By chance, helped by her daughter, she then realized that about ten kilometers from her home was a private funeral park unique in France. Called Memory Trees, he proposes to deposit the ashes of the deceased (placed beforehand in a biodegradable urn) in the heart of the roots of a tree, individual or family. “It’s important to gather, assures Clarisse, who came on Tuesday with her little dog. Even if it’s hard, I know he’s good here. For us, the relatives, it is very important. »
Proposing a new solution to certain bereaved families, that is the goal that Réginald Freuchet set himself almost twenty years ago. With his late father, he bought five hectares of agricultural land in Pruillé to launch this atypical project. “We had recovered the urn containing the ashes of a friend who had suddenly disappeared, who had left no will, reports the director. We then said to ourselves that planting a tree on the occasion of a death, as some do when the birth of a child occurs, could also be something magnificent for mourning. The practice was already widespread, in Switzerland or Germany. »
Concretely, families can reserve a tree already planted in advance or choose one at the time of death (for a 90-year contract at the price of 3,900 euros). A dozen species are available, from oak to ginkgo biloba and cedar. A small ceremony is organized during which relatives can take turns expressing themselves and throwing a shovelful of earth. In accordance with internal regulations, they are authorized to decorate the base of the tree for approximately one meter. A small plate, named or not, can also be installed.
The legal framework has changed
At a time when cremation continues to increase in the country, to approach 40% of deaths today, requests “arrive every day, and from all over France”, we are assured here. But the Angevin park, which already houses the ashes of 300 families for whom burial, placement in a columbarium or a garden of remembrance were not suitable, is today not in a position to duplicate itself elsewhere to meet this expectation. , much to the chagrin of its founder.
“At the time, in 2004, there was no legal status that governed the funeral ashes, reports Réginald Freuchet. But the politicians took it over and the law changed in 2008 [date à laquelle par exemple il n’est plus autorisé de conserver une urne funéraire chez soi], to consider them more as human remains. We can therefore continue to exploit the place because it was opened before 2005, but impossible to create new ones. Since then, I have always hoped that things would change, that the concept could multiply, especially since it promotes ecology. »
Over the next few days, on the occasion of All Saints’ Day, many families will find themselves strolling through this large park accessible 24 hours a day, without cars or paved paths, in which birds and deer also cross paths. On site, the objective is to plant a thousand trees in order to “bequeath to future generations a great forest of memories, while contributing to biodiversity”. At the foot of that of her husband, Clarisse already knows that this is also where she will rest. “My daughter also thinks about it, she confides, hidden behind her sunglasses. In these cases, I answer him: it’s fine, it’s fine, you have time…”