Jardin des Plantes

Interesting facts

1. 1

   The garden was originally created as the 'Jardin du Roi' for the study of medicinal plants.

2. 2

   It contains a Lebanese cedar planted in 1734, one of the first of its kind brought to Europe.

3. 3

   The Labyrinth path was designed by André Le Nôtre, the landscape architect famous for the gardens at Versailles.

4. 4

   The Ménagerie opened in 1794 after animals from the royal menagerie at Versailles were transferred here during the French Revolution.

5. 5

   The garden's scientific collections include over 8 million specimens of insects, plants, and fossils.

6. 6

   It houses a historic 'Cabinet de curiosités' that influenced 18th-century scientific classification systems.

7. 7

   The Gazebo of Buffon, located atop the labyrinth, is one of the oldest metal structures in Paris.

8. 8

   The garden remains a center for the 'Flora of France' project, a comprehensive botanical catalog.

Overview

The Jardin des Plantes is the main botanical garden in France, established in 1635 as a royal medicinal herb garden under Louis XIII. It functions as a primary site of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, housing significant scientific research facilities. The grounds feature a formal French-style garden, an alpine garden, and a grand labyrinth leading to a 17th-century gazebo. Visitors can explore the Grande Galerie de l’Évolution, which displays thousands of preserved animal specimens in a massive glass-roofed hall. The site also includes the Ménagerie, one of the oldest zoos in the world, which remains operational today. Extensive greenhouses, the Grandes Serres, showcase diverse tropical and desert plant ecosystems. The garden holds a collection of over 10,000 species of living plants. It remains an active hub for botanists and zoologists conducting long-term environmental research.

Insider tips

• Prioritize visiting the Grandes Serres early, as these specialized environments can become humid and crowded by midday.

• Wear comfortable walking shoes, as the gravel paths cover over 23 hectares of terrain.

• Combine your visit with the Ménagerie to see rare species kept in historic, 19th-century architecture.