Alula Showcases Cultural Heritage And Sustainable Vision At Jardins, Jardin Opening In Paris

(MENAFN- Mid-East Info) The ancient oasis city of AlUla, located in north western Saudi Arabia, makes its debut today at Jardins, Jardin, Paris's prestigious annual gardening event targeting a high end discerning segment. The luxury heritage destination will showcase its remarkable landscapes and rich cultural heritage to the important and growing French market through an immersive installation, the AlUla Oasis Garden, designed by acclaimed landscape architect Pierre Alexandre Risser.

Launched in partnership with The French Agency for the Development of AlUla (AFALULA), the AlUla Oasis Garden challenges perceptions and reveals the unexpected natural abundance of Saudi Arabia's ancient oasis city. The installation authentically recreates the destination's distinctive natural environment that is synonymous with towering palms, fragrant citrus trees, figs, pomegranates, and native plant species.

Offering an additional glimpse into AlUla's rich cultural landscape, an exhibition of works by renowned photographer Gilles Bensimon, set within a purpose-built pavilion, will provide visitors with compelling visual narratives of AlUla's dramatic landscapes and archaeological treasures.

AlUla is a thriving oasis where over 4 million date palms, 77,000 Moringa trees, and 29 citrus fruit varieties flourish, nourished by 80 natural springs. In addition, the destination's commitment to environmental stewardship is evidenced by the dedication of over 50% of its territory to protected areas, comprising Sharaan national park along with five nature reserves. This conservation approach aligns with AlUla's careful development of luxury accommodations, including the five-star Our Habitas and Banyan Tree AlUla resorts, ideally located in the secluded Ashar Valley, the history-inspired The Chedi Hegra near Saudi's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Dar Tantora The House Hotel, nestled within the labyrinthine streets of AlUla Old Town.

Luxury travel specialist Angèle, founded by Nora Gherras and bringing 30 years of Middle East expertise, will be present throughout the event. Angèle offers unparalleled insight into the region, crafting bespoke experiences from hot air balloon adventures over sandstone canyons to refined Bedouin-style stargazing and luxury safaris in the Sharaan National Park.

AlUla, which is renowned for its 200,000 years of human history, including 7,000 years of successive civilisations, most notably represented by the ancient Nabatean city of Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO Heritage Site, is readily accessible via AlUla International Airport, which welcomes private jets and offers direct connections through carriers including Saudia, Qatar Airways, FlyDubai, and Air France (code share services on Saudia) making this revitalising destination readily accessible from major global cities.

About AlUla:

Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, in North-West Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km2, includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean kingdoms reigned.

The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and is comprised of 111 well-preserved tombs, many with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement.

Current research also suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Roman Empire after the Roman's conquered the Nabataeans in 106 CE.

In addition to Hegra, AlUla is also home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms and considered to be one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula, and Jabal Ikmah, an open air library of hundreds of inscriptions and writings in many different languages, which has been recently listed on the UNESCO's memory of the World Register. Also AlUla Old Town Village, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes developed from at least the 12th century, which has been selected as one of the World's Best Tourism Villages in 2022 by the UNWTO. Additionally, AlUla Old Railway and Hegra Fort, which are key sites in the story and conquests of Lawrence of Arabia.

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