Jardin des Plantes - Jardin Alpine, Paris, France

Originally designed as a medical herb garden in 1626 by Louis XIII’s physician, Guy de La Brosse, this garden now welcomes tens of thousands of visitors a year. As previously mentioned, Jardin des Plantes is separated into several smaller, themed gardens, including: a rose garden, botanical garden, irises/climbing plants, tropical garden and the alpine garden. While entry to the Jardin des Plantes is free, there is a small 1€ fee for each specialized garden. I chose to visit the Jardin Alpine, in particular, after having read good things about it in the New York Times–I was not disappointed.

The Jardin Alpine is somewhat of a sanctuary within the relatively busy Jardin des Plantes. Contained within the garden’s walls, you will find plants from many of the mountain ranges around France (including Provence, Cevennes and the Pyrenees) as well as the world. Walkways made of small stone pebbles lead you throughout the garden. The paths take you across tiny streams, by moss-covered bogs, and up and down small plateaus. The closer one gets to the back of the garden, the thicker and more beautiful the vegetation gets.

A truly delightful experience, the Jardin Alpine is well worth the 1€ donation to the beautiful Jardin des Plantes. One could easily spend half a day visiting all of the gardens and galleries within the Jardin, but if that’s not your style, I highly recommend taking an hour out of your day to take a stroll through the Jardin Alpine when you get the chance.

Want to see pictures from my visit? Jardin des Plantes Photos

Want to see a video of my visit? Jardin des Plantes Video

Want to see this location on a map? Map of My Visits