Sunday, November 22, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Villeneuve-d’Ascq municipal greenhouses.
What if you discovered the art of wicker weaving? For its very first workshop, the Maison du Saule invites you to an introduction to this artisanal and natural technique, with the creation of a feeder for the birds in your garden or balcony.
Accompanied by Caroline Pages, gardener at the service of the City’s Green Spaces and passionate about basket weaving, you will learn how to handle and weave wicker to give shape to your creation.
A convivial moment to discover a know-how, let your creativity speak and leave with an object useful for biodiversity!

Practical information

• Sunday, November 22, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Municipal greenhouses, 2 rue du Hainaut, Villeneuve-d'Ascq
• Free workshop, materials provided
• Open to adults and children accompanied by an adult - limited places!
• Registrations: cpages@villeneuvedascq.fr

Focus on the House of the Willow: when botany and creation intertwine

Did you know that several plant sculptures in Villeneuve-d'Ascq are made from locally cultivated willow? From the three doves in the Garden of Remembrance at Ascq cemetery to the creations that dress the roundabouts of the Heron and the Frog, this natural and sustainable material comes to life in the hands of municipal gardeners.
At the origin of these achievements, we find in particular Caroline Pages, passionate gardener who has developed over the years a real know-how in the work of the willow. At the Ferme du Héron, she imagined a hut, a maze and small woven animals that delight visitors.
To develop this practice at the crossroads of botany and craftsmanship, the City created the Maison du Saule, installed in the municipal greenhouses.
This place is both a storage and preparation space for wicker, a creative workshop and now a place of transmission open to residents.
Four workshops will be offered each year, over the seasons, to discover the many possibilities offered by this natural material. In winter, place to weave dry wicker, previously rehydrated to regain its flexibility. In the spring, participants will be able to learn how to work with live wicker.
A great way to share municipal know-how, promote a locally produced resource and bring a touch of nature into your creations!