One of the most popular places for relaxation, as well as education, is the 23-hectare botanical garden, which is part of the National Museum of Natural History.
The Jardin des Plantes is located on the edge of the Latin Quarter and close to Austerlitz Station.
Public botanical garden
The largest part of the park is the botanical garden, which is completely free to visit.
The botanical garden has several sections with beautifully landscaped flower beds, an English-style park, and even a small vineyard.
Along the pedestrian paths you will find many benches and there are, for example, free toilets, so you can spend even longer in the garden.
Inside the garden you will also find a greenhouse with tropical plants.
Entrance fees and opening hours
The garden is open every day. Opening hours vary slightly depending on the season.
- March and October - 8:00 to 18:30
- April to September - 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- November to February - 8:00 to 17:30
Admission to the garden is free.
The greenhouse is open from 10:00 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. daily except Tuesdays, when it is closed. Tickets for the greenhouse are priced at 9 eur and can be purchased online at: billetterie.mnhn.fr/serres.
Zoo
The northern half of the park is occupied by a small zoo called the "Ménangerie".
The zoo was officially opened in 1794, making it the oldest in France and the second oldest in the world after the zoo in Schönbrunn, Vienna.
In the enclosures you will find over 1,100 animals, mainly various species of ungulates, monkeys, raccoons, birds, reptiles or amphibians.
Entrance fees and opening hours
The Menagerie is open every day from 10:00-18:00.
The basic ticket price is 13 eur.
A discounted ticket for 10 eur can be purchased by minors under 25 years of age with EU residency.
Official website: jardindesplantesdeparis.fr/menagerie-zoo.
Evolution Gallery
The palace of the Gallery of Evolution, dating from 1785, dominates the park.
This natural history museum presents the entire evolution of mankind in a very impressive way and is one of the most visited museums in Paris.
Admission and opening hours
The gallery is open from 10:00-18:00 daily except Tuesdays, when it is closed.
Ticket prices are as follows:
- 16 eur - Adults
- 10 eur - minors under 25 eur with EU residency
Official website and online ticket purchase: jardindesplantesdeparis.fr/grande-galerie-de-l-evolution.
Accommodation at the gardens
The area around the Jardin des Plantes is one of the most beautiful and desirable in Paris.
You can stay in several well-rated hotels in close proximity to the gardens:
- Hôtel du Jardin des Plantes *** - located on the north-western edge of the gardens in a quiet residential area towards the centre of the Latin Quarter
- Libertel Austerlitz *** - a hotel at the southern edge of the gardens, very close to Austerlitz station, where several underground and RER train lines cross at the same time
How to get there
The gardens are large and can be reached by public transport from several directions.
The nearest public transport stops are:
- Buffon - La Mosquée right by the Gallery of Evolution
- Bus 24 - Luxembourg Gardens, Pantheon, Gare de Lyon, Gare de Bercy
- Bus 67 - Latin Quarter, Hotel de Ville, Chatelet, Louvre, Palais Royal, Place d'Italie
- Gare d'Austerlitz approx. 150 metres at the south-eastern end of the gardens
- Metro 5 - Bastille, République, Gare de l'Est, Gare du Nord, Bassin de la Villette, Place d'Italie
- Metro 10 - Latin Quarter, Champ de Mars
- RER C - Latin Quarter, Cité, Musée d'Orsay, Invalides, Eiffel Tower, Versailles
- Bus 24 - see above
- Bus 57 - Gare de Lyon, Nation, Place d'Italie
- Bus 89 - Luxembourg Gardens, Pantheon, Gare Montparnasse, Vanves
- Bus 91 - Gare de Lyon, Bastille, République, Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare Montparnasse
- Bus 215 - Gare de Bercy, Nation, Porte de Vincennes
- Place Monge approx. 270 metres from the western edge of the gardens
- Metro 7 - Le Marais, Chatelet, Hotel de Ville, Louvre, Palais Royal, Opera, Gare de l'Est, Bassin de la Villette
- Bus 47 - Latin Quarter, Cité, Chatelet, Centre Pompidou, Place d'Italie
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