The Tea House

A place for sharing

In the heart of Alsace, unique in Europe in terms of its design and size, the Tea House was designed and conceived to invite visitors to contemplate and meditate over a cup of tea. In this calm and relaxing place, surrounded by Japanese gardens and lulled by a Zen atmosphere, you can enjoy delicious teas and escape to another world.

In the heart of Japanese gardens

Nestled in a bamboo grove, access to the Tea House begins by crossing one of the six Karesansui-style Japanese gardens (Karesansui means "without water" in Japanese) that surround it. In these gardens of plants and minerals, concentric shapes traced in crushed granite represent water to inspire calm.

As tradition dictates, these gardens are designed to be viewed from different angles from every corner of the tea house, without ever entering them..

Rites of passage, precise gestures, simple materials such as bamboo, stone and water, pure forms and respect for the seasons in the choice of objects and decoration are all things that inspired Arlette in the construction of the Tea House. This place is brought to life by memories of all her travels and encounters in these tea-producing countries.

In designing this site, Arlette has created the Jardins de Gaïa in a place that reflects her personality. A lifelong dream, this space inspired by Japanese Zen gardens is at the crossroads of East and West. The iconic Tea House, initially dedicated to the ancient art of tea, is also intended to be open to the world, to serenity, to the emergence of ideas and to the arts.

The Zen gardens

Like all art, these gardens cannot be explained in words, which is why we will only briefly describe the essence of each one. We will faithfully follow the Zen motto: the finger that points to the moon is not the moon.

In the five gardens, water has been replaced by crushed granite. This form, called "karesansui" (without water), has very ancient origins, as can be seen in the Ryoan-ji garden in Kyoto, which dates back to 1494. These gardens are innovative: they communicate with each other, the rocks in one garden are linked to those in the other gardens, as are the plants and other elements that compose them. This multitude of links between the gardens allows visitors to construct their own story with the place.

The turtle pond

Once through the entrance gate, visitors are guided along a long wooden path through the "turtle pond." On the right, an island of green plants with a Japanese maple growing on it is called the turtle island, but it does not symbolize the animal. On the left, a small island emerges from the "water" and invites visitors to imagine what it represents.

The crane garden

The second garden can be seen as soon as you enter. Rigorously designed, it is very modern. The rock on the left suggests a crane (patience and wisdom). As a counterpoint to the black gravel bordered by metal, it rests on a natural island formed by moss, in the middle of an imaginary pond (life).

The Mandolin Garden

This garden, located in front of the Japanese tea pavilion, where the tea ceremony takes place, can only be viewed from this spot. Although the shape of its pond evokes a mandolin, the emphasis is on the inaudible sound of this small oasis. The more you lose yourself in it, the more you discover. The Japanese pond enriches this haven of peace with its silent lapping.

The lake of silence

This main garden, at the heart of the grounds, is a tribute to the anonymous creators of the Ryoan-ji garden in Kyoto, undoubtedly the most famous in the world. Eight large rocks caressed by waves rest in a granite lake. Some rocks that only partially emerge from the "sea" embody four fundamental aspects of our existence: harmony, consciousness, purity of thought and action, and inner peace. From these arise wisdom, honesty, clear-sightedness, and decisiveness.

A ninth rock on the hill suggests that Sisyphus may have succeeded in leaving his stone at the top of the mountain.

Full is empty (a tribute to Master Hachiro Kanno)

Full is empty, a strange statement..

A wooden plank path straddles a pond surrounded by five iris beds. Straight borders, laid out by human hands, contrast with a natural bank formed by river gravel. A boat lies beached, marked by time and reclaimed by nature.

This scene is also a nod to the Indian Bodhidharma, founder of Zen, who lived around the year 500 (1,000 years after Buddha).

It is here that East and West come together in harmony..

Landscape architect:

JacobPlanung GmbH, Basel | Zurich,  T +41 (0) 61 603 28 30,  mail@jacob-planung.ch, Main address: St. Alban - Anlage 66, 4052 Basel - Switzerland

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Due to increasing demand, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Japanese gardens surrounding our Tea House are not open to visitors. Like living paintings, the different perspectives and compositions they offer throughout the seasons can only be admired from the Tea House or its terrace.