Jardin des Plantes, Paris

Jardin des Plantes

Address: 57 rue Cuvier, Paris 75005
Arrondissement: 5th
 
Hours: Summer Mon-Sun 7:30am – 8:00pm; Winter Mon-Sun 7:30am-5:30pm
Tickets: Free

WWW: Jardin des Plantes
Phone: +33 1 4079 3000

About the Jardin des Plantes

The Jardin des Plantes has a long and notable history. It was first established in 1626 as a royal garden of medicinal plants and was designed by Guy de La Brosse, the physician of Louis XII.

In 1650, the garden, which had grown into disrepair over a short period, was rejuvenated under the loving eye of John Baptiste Colbert and was opened to the public. Towards the end of the 17th century, John Baptiste allowed Dr. Guy Crescent Fagon to continue the upkeep of the garden. Fagon chose some of the best botanists of the time to help him tend the plants and during this period, the garden grew to a grand size. From 1739 – 1788, the hand of the grand switched again, this time to Comte de Buffon. Buffon made additions such as the child-friendly maze that is still there today.

Today the immense and lush garden covers 28 hectares (nearly 69 acres) and is situated on the Left Bank, with parts overlooking the Siene. The city’s Natural History Museum is also located on the Jardin des Plantes grounds as well as a little zoo that houses small animals. A botany school can also be found here.

The garden itself is home to several tropical planthouses that can be found scattered among the grounds which include an Alpine garden, Art Deco wintergarten and rose garden.

Getting to Jardin des Plantes
 
The Jardin des Plantes can be reached by way of the Jussieu station, which is located in the Latin Quarter, of metro line 7 and metro line 10. The line is named after a famous family of botanists and historians, some of which are connected to the Jardin des Plantes. Jussieu’s metro line 10 is also linked to Gare d’Austerlitz station, which can also be used to access to the Jardin.

Jardin des Plantes Hotels  

Here is a short guide to hotels near Jardin des Plantes.

Located at 54 rue Monge, the Hotel des Nations Saint German is situated in the Latin Quarter, close by the Jardin des Plantes. The classically designed interior is warm and welcoming and the hotel itself is situated close to a handful of metro lines so that guests can whisk around the city with ease. Rates for this three star stay start at 101EUR per night for a single room.

Located at 51 Boulevard Saint Marcel, Le Demeure hotel is just a moments walk from many Parisian gems such as the Latin Quarter and Saint Germain des Pres. The hotel has an old world glamour and the staff is there for your every need in the most discreet way. Rates start at 108EUR per night for a superior room in this three star hotel.

Located at 9 rue des Ecoles, the Hotel Quartier Latin sits in the heart of its namesake. The three star hotel was renovated as recently as 2006 and features a traditional Parisian interior at every turn. Rates start at 197EUR per night for a Double or Twin Individual use room, which includes breakfast each morning.

Photo of the Jardin’s Mexican Hothouse courtesy of Wikimedia.org