Alexis Tsabalas, market gardener and arboriculturist - L'Écureuil

In Ispagnac, in the Cévennes National Park, Alexis Tsabalas and his partner Marine cultivate a committed corner of nature called L'Écureuil. Spread over several hectares between Ispagnac, Quézac and Balsièges, they offer a wide range of certified organic vegetables, fresh fruit and aromatic plants for direct sale Esprit parc national - Cévennes.

Since 2021, Alexis has been a market gardener and arboriculturist, and with his partner Marine has embarked on an approach to farming that respects the living world, growing around 30 vegetables with a rich diversity of varieties.

For example, we have 9 varieties of lettuce, 3 of leeks, ten or so tomatoes, 4 cucumbers... This wide choice means we can offer a whole range of different tastes. We like to please our customers and ourselves "

The couple work according to the principles of living soil and permaculture. The soil is not turned over, but simply decompacted to preserve its ecosystem. The mounds are only partially weeded, to encourage biodiversity, conserve moisture and leave room for pollinators. Crops are also combined to enrich the soil naturally. Very self-sufficient, Alexis and Marine produce most of their own seeds.

The ultimate aim is to create a seed bank. And in an agroforestry approach, 80 fruit trees have been planted, half of which are already productive. L'Écureuil also offers a wide range of aromatic plants, both cultivated and hand-picked

The entire production is sold locally, at the Ispagnac market or in a collective store bringing together some twenty producers. Keen to go even further, the team recently equipped the store with a kitchen to serve home-cooked organic and vegetarian dishes. And the ideas keep coming:

We'd like to be able to deliver meals by bike to campsites in Ispagnac.