Discovering forest bathing therapy

A practice based on the healing power of trees

Sylvotherapy literally means healing through trees. While the practice is still relatively unknown in France, it has many followers in the United States and especially in Japan. There is no doubt that nature in general, and forests in particular, provide feelings of well-being and calm. Anyone who has spent time in a forest has experienced the joys of physical and spiritual relaxation. An ancestral and intuitive practice, it was a Tokyo-based immunologist who first made it the subject of scientific research in the 20th century.

His conclusions led the Japanese government to promote sylvotherapy among its population in the 1980s as a means of combating stress. In the 2000s, at the initiative of the Japanese government, further research into its physiological and psychological effects was conducted, corroborating the initial findings. Indeed, forests contain volatile substances such as phytoncides and terpenes that stimulate the parasympathetic system and strengthen immune defenses while reducing stress levels. The practice consists of “forest bathing”—a state of mindfulness, a slow and attentive walk engaging all five senses to fully enjoy its benefits. One can devote a few hours to it, or an entire night. It can be practiced alone, in a group, with or without the guidance of a specialist. The forest of La Duporterie, with its 300 private hectares, unquestionably offers an ideal setting for those wishing to try it—not to mention that Anne-Caroline Frey, the founder of the estate, is a certified sylvotherapist.