On May 16 and 17, 2026, Biron Castle will host a first: an exhibition entirely dedicated to the art of bonsai. In this major site of Aquitaine heritage, miniature trees will converse, for one weekend, with centuries-old stone.
Initiated by Vital Bonsaï and the association Le Sens du Bonsaï, the event will bring together knowledgeable enthusiasts, collectors, and professionals from all over France. Still rare in the region, this gathering is designed as much for devoted bonsai lovers as for curious visitors eager to discover the art.
Several dozen bonsai will be displayed across the castle’s terraces and courtyards. Behind these sometimes discreet forms lie years, even decades, of cultivation, pruning, and observation. Maples, Scots pines, Chinese elms, and azaleas illustrate the diversity of species and styles.
The program is centered on transmission. Demonstrations of shaping, wiring, and pruning will punctuate the weekend, giving visitors direct access to the gestures and techniques involved. Guided tours will complement this approach, with the aim of making readable an art often perceived as reserved for a circle of initiates.
Alongside this, a suiseki exhibition — natural stones selected for their evocative power — will extend the immersion into an aesthetic in which the viewer is invited to reconstruct landscapes and reliefs.
A contemporary approach to bonsai
Among the participants, Appy Bonsai will take part in this first edition with a dedicated stand. The application, developed to support bonsai management and cultivation, reflects a more structured and analytical approach to the practice.
Demonstrations of the custom substrate generator will be offered throughout the weekend. This tool makes it possible to adapt growing mixes based on concrete parameters: species, climate, and growing conditions. It is a way of illustrating how a traditional art is evolving in response to increasingly varied growing environments.
Beyond the tool itself, Appy Bonsai’s presence is also intended as a meeting point and place of exchange with visitors, around practices, constraints, and each person’s experience.
A setting worthy of the event
Overlooking the Dropt and Lède valleys, Biron Castle is not merely a venue: it fully contributes to the experience.
Built beginning in the 11th century, this listed monument has passed through nearly a thousand years of history. First a medieval fortress, it gradually became a seigneurial residence over the centuries, incorporating architectural elements from different periods — from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. This layering gives the site a singular coherence, shaped by balance and contrast.
By its scale — the castle is considered the largest in Aquitaine — and by its commanding position, Biron offers rare perspectives. Its open terraces, inner courtyards, and imposing volumes create a constant dialogue between architecture, landscape, and the visitor’s gaze.
Long accustomed to hosting exhibitions, the site has an essential quality: it enhances without imposing. In this environment steeped in history, bonsai finds a particular resonance. Against these walls shaped by time, these miniature trees — themselves rooted in duration — seem to naturally extend the story of the place.
Practical information
- Dates: May 16 and 17, 2026
- Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Venue: BIRON Castle - Bourg | 24540 Biron
- Admission: €12
- Access: D53, between Monpazier and Villeréal
- Free parking on site
