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Gems of Paris by French Moments

Unknown for most of the Parisians the elegant Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil is a botanical garden located at the southeastern edge of the Bois de Boulogne in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. The small garden is wedged between the Roland Garros tennis complex and the Parc des Princes stadium. With its botanical collections the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil is the only place in Paris to discover a remarkable diversity of plants.


The Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil

The Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil consists of a complex of impressive conservatories part of the four botanical gardens managed by the City of Paris (Jardin Botanique de la Ville de Paris) along with the Parc de Bagatelle, the Parc Floral de Paris and the Arboretum de l’École du Breuil.

A peaceful corner of the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
A peaceful corner of the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

A botanic garden was originally created on the site in 1761 under Louis XV who designed a garden decorated with flowerbeds and greenhouses.

The present-day turquoise blue greenhouses were designed in cast iron between 1895 and 1898 by architect Jean-Camille Formigé. Covering 3 hectares the Serres d’Auteuil aimed to showcase exotic flora. Tropical plants are found in the greenhouses and temperate-zone plants grow in the surrounding beds.

Cacti in a greenhouse, Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
Cacti in a greenhouse, Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

The greenhouses grow about 100,000 plants per year that are used to decorate the interior of Paris’ municipal buildings. Each one of them are temperature controlled to create the ideal climate for the plants they shelter.


The Entrance

The entrance of the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil is marked a fine wrought iron gate flanked by two Classical style pavillons: the West and East pavillons.

Entrance gate of the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
Entrance gate of the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

The Japanese Garden

The small Japanese garden with its scree and stone lantern.

Japanese Garden, Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
Japanese Garden, Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

The Balustrade

On each side of the terrace are two curved lanes which slope gently down to the central lawn. Rare roses and peonies grow along the balustrades. The pilasters that decorate the retaining walls of the terrace feature 14 mascarons sculpted by Auguste Rodin.

Western Pavillon, Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
Western Pavillon, Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments
The roses at the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
The roses at the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

The central lawn

The central lawn consists of a formal garden (jardin à la française) which is bordered by the West Plateau and the East Plateau greenhouses. The South end of the huge French-style parterre is marked by the Dalou Fountain whose medallion depicts the Triumph of Bacchus. Behind it stands the monumental Palm-House (Palmarium). Elegant china-looking garden vases are scattered along the edges.

Palm-House (Palmarium) seen from the entrance terrace, Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
Palm-House (Palmarium) seen from the entrance terrace, Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments
The central lawn of the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
The central lawn of the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

The Palm-House

The Palm-House (also known as Palmarium) offers luxuriance, calm and voluptuousness. The aery cast iron structure resembles a glass cathedral and is intended to give plants light and heat. Built in the 19th century, the Belle Époque greenhouse houses exotic tropical plants that came by steamship. This tropical environment also feature a small pond with Japanese carps and a small aviary.

The Palm-House (Palmarium), Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
The Palm-House (Palmarium), Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments
The vivarium inside the Palm-House, Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
The vivarium inside the Palm-House, Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments
Small pond inside the Palmarium, Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
Small pond inside the Palmarium, Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments
Fancy a romantic picnic? At the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
Fancy a romantic picnic? At the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

The Tropical Greenhouse

Adjacent to the Palm House, the 19th century greenhouse was designed like a winter garden or cabinet of botanical curiosity. It houses plants that share a similar and harmonious need for light, moisture and warmth: banana-trees, coffee bushes, papaya-trees…

Inside the tropical greenhouse, Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
Inside the tropical greenhouse, Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments
It looks like being in a tropical country far far away from Paris, France. At the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
It looks like being in a tropical country far far away from Paris, France. At the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

The Orangerie Greenhouse

Recently renovated the Orangerie Greenhouse will be reopen to the public in June 2016.

The Orangerie Conservatory at the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
The Orangerie Conservatory at the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

The English Garden

Situated to the West of the park, the English garden contains beautiful trees and heather earth plants.

The English garden at the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
The English garden at the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

Square des Poètes

This relatively small garden features small stones on which have been engraved verses from famous French poets. In the centre stands a statue of Victor Hugo by Rodin.

Square des Poètes, Paris © French Moments
Square des Poètes, Paris © French Moments
A poem from Charles Baudelaire, Square des Poètes, Paris © French Moments
A poem from Charles Baudelaire, Square des Poètes, Paris © French Moments

Practical information

Map of the Jardin des Serres d'Auteuil © French Moments
Map of the Jardin des Serres d’Auteuil © French Moments

Gems of Paris by French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of the Discovery Course on the Secrets of the Eiffel Tower and the Christmas book "Voyage au Pays de Noël".

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