The Jardin des Plantes is Nantes' botanical garden, on Rue Stanislas Baudry just across from the north exit of the train station. It covers seven hectares and holds more than 10,000 plant species, with ponds, fountains, tall shade trees and 19th-century greenhouses. It also has a deer statue, ducks, goats, animal-shaped hedges and oversized benches. Entry to the grounds is free, and the Château des Ducs de Bretagne is about ten minutes away on foot. The garden suits a long stroll or a short stop between trains.
Plants and greenhouses
The Jardin des Plantes holds the French Jardin Remarquable label and covers seven hectares in the middle of the city. It is counted among the four largest botanical gardens in France and holds more than 10,000 living species, along with tens of thousands of seasonal flowers planted each year.
The collections include cacti and plants from Brittany, North America, Asia and Africa. The garden is also known for its magnolias and camellias, with around 500 and 1,000 varieties respectively. Tall trees, including towering magnolias and sequoias, give long stretches of shade along the paths.
The greenhouses date from the 19th century and cover around 800 square metres. The Palmarium, built in 1895, is the oldest and shelters plants from equatorial forests. Metal and glass frame the tropical American plants inside, and the side greenhouses hold orchids from Africa and Asia. Greenhouses are a good fallback in rain.
Art, benches and animals
Nantes is a city of public art, and the garden follows suit. Colourful installations are placed along the paths, and animal-shaped bushes line some of the lawns. The children's author Claude Ponti has worked here, and the garden has a gigantic bench and other unusual ones to sit on or stand beneath for a photo.
The ponds and fountains are home to ducks, and tortoises can be spotted too. A deer statue is one of the best-known figures in the grounds, and a small area has goats. At the back of the garden you will find a plant garden and quieter corners with benches.
With children
There are two play areas, one for children under six and one for older ones. Between them they have a swing, a wooden hut, an emotions panel, a seal game and a gravel pit. The garden is enclosed enough for young children to run around, and the animals and oversized benches keep them interested between playground stops.
The Café de l'Orangerie sits inside the garden next to a play area. Adults can sit with a drink while children play.
Visiting the garden
The garden is at Rue Stanislas Baudry. From the station's north exit it is a short walk, and the Château des Ducs de Bretagne is about ten minutes away. Many people arrive with luggage, since the station is directly opposite.
You can walk the garden on your own, or join a visit led by a botanist-gardener. The entrance, the restroom and the parking lot are wheelchair accessible. The paths are good for photography, a slow walk, or sitting with a book. Under the tall trees it feels a little cooler than the streets around.
Preguntas frecuentes
Is there an entry fee for the Jardin des Plantes in Nantes?
No, the garden is free to enter. A small charge applies if you want to go into the greenhouses.
How long do you need at the Jardin des Plantes?
One to two hours covers a relaxed walk through the grounds and the main sights. If you add the greenhouses and a café stop, allow more.
Where is the Jardin des Plantes in relation to the train station?
It is right across from the station's north exit, on Rue Stanislas Baudry. It is also about ten minutes on foot from the Château des Ducs de Bretagne.
Is the garden good for children?
Yes. It has two play areas, one for children under six and one for older ones, plus animals, giant benches and animal-shaped bushes.
Is the Jardin des Plantes wheelchair accessible?
The entrance, the restroom and the parking lot are all wheelchair accessible.
