Garden of Plantes

The "Jardin des simples"

 

In 1626 Louis XIII, at the instigation of his physician Héroard and his apothecary Guy de la Brosse, founded the "jardin de plantes médicinales" (Medicinal Plant Garden) which then became the "jardin du Roi" (the King's Garden). It was opened to the public for the first time in 1640. Its rapid growth under Louis XIV was due to the findings from colonial expeditions and their subsequent research. As a result, Fagon, physician to Louis XIV and the garden's superintendent, commissioned hothouses and a 600-seat amphitheatre where chemistry was taught. Following this Tournefort, the Jussieu brothers, Buffon, Daubenton and Verniquet all made successive contributions to expanding the garden giving it more or less the appearance it has today.

 

The zoo

 

 

During the Revolution, animals were introduced and the garden became a fashionable place to take a stroll to discover the exotic fauna.

Entering from rue Cuvier, the visitor sees on the left successively Chevreul's house, the administrative building, Cuvier's house and Verniquet's house, which in 1794 was used as the first Ecole Normal Supérieure (teacher training college). On the right there is Guy de la Brosse's maze, the tomb of Daubenton and a cedar tree from the Lebanon planted in 1734.

All along the rue Cuvier, the zoo is home to a good selection of reptiles, birds, insects and also wildcats, bears and moneys situated in a landscaped garden with an Alpine garden on its borders. In the center there is a school of botany, a winter garden and hot houses.

 

 

 

Address :

57, rue Cuvier
75005 - PARIS

Locate on the map :

Metro : Austerlitz - Jussieu