About this place
Faux de Verzy is an unusual forest of dwarf trees located roughly 25 kilometres south of Reims, France, within the commune of Verzy. The name "fau" (plural "faux") refers to trees with an exceptionally stunted, twisted growth form — here mainly beeches, though a smaller number of dwarf oaks and dwarf chestnuts also grow in the same forest. The area holds protected status in France, reflecting its scientific and natural-heritage value.
What exactly is a "fau"?
A fau is a tree — most commonly a beech, but sometimes an oak or a chestnut — that instead of growing tall and upright develops a stunted, contorted shape. In the forest near Verzy, this dwarf form is best known through its beeches, of which there are fewer than a thousand specimens. Alongside them grow around a dozen dwarf oaks and a small number of dwarf chestnuts, but it is the beeches that make up the largest and most distinctive group, and they are the main reason this forest is known at all.
Where is this forest located?
Faux de Verzy lies in the Grand Est region of France, south of Reims, right next to the village of Verzy. Its approximate coordinates are 49.135° north latitude and 4.165° east longitude. This places the forest near the Montagne de Reims hills, setting it apart from the flatter, vineyard-covered landscape typical of the wider Champagne region.
Why is the site protected?
Because of how rare and distinctive the growth form of these trees is, the area around Faux de Verzy has been designated a protected natural area. This status is meant to ensure that the population of dwarf beeches, oaks and chestnuts can continue to exist and be studied, rather than being lost to human activity or the natural aging of the forest stand.
How many dwarf trees are there?
The number of dwarf beeches in the forest near Verzy stays below one thousand specimens, which means each tree tends to have its own distinct, individual shape rather than blending into a uniform stand. Beyond the beeches, the forest is also home to roughly a dozen dwarf oaks and a handful of dwarf chestnuts, though the beeches remain by far the most numerous and most frequently described part of this unusual woodland.
Frequently asked questions
What does the word "fau" mean? It describes a tree with an exceptionally stunted, twisted form — plural "faux" — most often a beech, but sometimes an oak or a chestnut growing in this same area.
Where is Faux de Verzy located? About 25 kilometres south of Reims, within the commune of Verzy, in the Grand Est region of France, at approximately 49.135°N, 4.165°E.
How many dwarf trees grow in this forest? Fewer than a thousand dwarf beeches, around a dozen dwarf oaks, and a small number of dwarf chestnuts.
Is the site protected? Yes, the area is registered as a protected natural area in France, intended to safeguard this unique tree population for the future.
What tree species make up this forest? Mainly beeches, along with oaks and chestnuts — all growing in the dwarf, twisted form characteristic of this particular site.
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