Paris' Hidden Garden

The Jardin Alpin in Paris' Jardin des Plantes park

The 1640 Jardin des Plantes consists mainly of fenced-off gardens, a small zoo, and a natural history museum (a quirky 19th century holdover: one huge room filled by a frozen stampede of extinct and exotic animal skeletons). But its secret is the Jardin Alpin, which initially looks like any old regimented Paris garden.

However, halfway down the wide Jardin path is a tunnel ducking under the main path to pop you out into a miniature valley largely hidden from the main part of the park by profuse bushes up at ground level. In the microclimate of this secluded vale thrive over 2,000 species of mountain plants (from the Alps, Pyrenees, Caucasus, Rockies, Himalayas, and others) ranged lushly around a small stream that winds through the miniature wonderland past tiny waterfalls and hidden nooks with benches.

(Métro: Gare de L'Austerlitz)
www.paris.fr
Closed Oct-Mar.

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