Jardin des Plantes

Jardin des Plantes

The famous Jardin des Plantes is located on the Left Bank of the Seine in downtown Paris, France, adjacent to the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (National Museum of Natural History). The Jardin des Plantes is not only a world-renowned botanical garden, but its affiliated zoo also holds milestone significance in the history of global zoo development.

With a long history, the Jardin des Plantes began as the "Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants" during the reign of Louis XIII in the 17th century. It wasn’t until the time of Louis XIV that its area was expanded to collect and cultivate exotic plants from around the world, transforming it into a royal botanical garden—a process that took over fifty years. The garden paths are always surrounded by vibrant flowers, which divide the garden into several sections, including the School of Botany, Alpine Garden, Rose Garden, Labyrinth, and Iris Garden.

The tree-lined avenues on both sides of the garden are formed by tall plane trees, their canopies meticulously pruned into neat, square green screens. Inside these avenues are uniquely designed flower beds, bordered by towers of linden trees shaped through pruning. Following winding paths uphill, visitors approach an elegant classical Chinese garden; near a uniquely styled pavilion stands a Cedar of Lebanon planted from seed in 1734, which remains lush to this day. The garden also contains a Honey Locust planted in 1636, making it the "granddaddy" of Parisian trees. In the botanical research garden in the southern part of the site, nearly ten thousand plant species are cultivated. Other highlights of the garden include the amphitheater and shaded walkways.

Jardin des Plantes

Must-visit reason: Paris’s most famous botanical garden

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/region where the attraction is located: France[France]

Province/state where the attraction is located: Île-de-France Region [Ile-de-France Region]

City where the attraction is located: Paris [Paris]