A Parisian oasis awaits. Step into the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil a botanical garden unlike any other. This isn’t just a collection of plants. It’s a living testament to Parisian history and horticultural ambition.
Originally conceived in 1761 by King Louis XV the site held a botanical garden with greenhouses adjacent to his Chateau du Coq. Imagine the grandeur the king’s personal horticultural haven. It stretched toward the present-day Boulevard Murat. A century later this royal garden was divided.
In 1898 the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil as we know it today was born. Jean Camille Formigé a prominent architect designed these magnificent turquoise-painted cast-iron greenhouses. His vision was to create a production space for plants destined for Paris’s green spaces.
Formigé’s architectural masterpiece is a marvel. The main greenhouse is divided into three distinct climates. A tropical garden a drier palm grove and a slightly cooler orangery. The design shows Formigé’s architectural genius. It reflects a style seen in Laeken’s royal greenhouses and the Champs-Élysées winter garden.
Beyond the greenhouses lies a formal French garden. Here you can admire the Bacchanale fountain sculpted by Jules Dalou. Fourteen mascarons cast in galvanized iron and designed by Auguste Rodin adorn the terrace retaining wall. These are not just decorative elements they are works of art.
The Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil houses nearly five thousand plant species. These are organized into thematic collections. These include succulents and plants from New Caledonia. Systematic collections include palmerias ficus begonias and ferns. Notice the impressive Canary Island date palms. They stand proudly next to a pond of Japanese carp.
The garden also features remarkable trees. Find the Ginkgo biloba a living fossil from China. There’s also the caramel tree that exudes a delightful caramel scent in autumn. Look for the lilac of the Indies with its mauve flowers and the Pterocarya stenoptera the largest tree in the garden.
But the story of the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil isn’t without conflict. In the 1960s the construction of an interchange and the périphérique highway drastically reduced the garden’s size. More recently the expansion of the Roland Garros stadium threatened the garden’s existence. This resulted in years of legal battles between environmental groups and the French Tennis Federation. Ultimately part of the garden was sacrificed for the stadium’s expansion.
Despite the challenges the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil remains a vibrant sanctuary. It’s a reminder of Paris’s rich history its commitment to beauty and its enduring resilience. Enjoy this architectural and botanical treasure. It’s a testament to human creativity and nature’s splendor.