Renaissance · Parks

Jardin des plantes de Montpellier

Montpellier

Founded in 1593 by Pierre Richer de Belleval, the Jardin des plantes de Montpellier is a botanical university garden in Montpellier and an integral part of the Faculty of Medicine and the University of Montpellier. It was originally intended for the cultivation of medicinal plants, or simples, for the teaching of future doctors and apothecaries, but the project soon expanded beyond this purpose to become an early botanical study tool. The garden was created by royal letters patent and was modeled after the botanical garden of Padua. Its catalogue was published by Richer in 1598. Destroyed during the siege of Montpellier in 1622, it was rebuilt from scratch by Richer de Belleval. The garden is considered the oldest botanical garden in France, predating the gardens of Strasbourg, Paris, and Caen. Today, it is frequented by botanists, doctors, pharmacists, schoolchildren, students, flora amateurs, tourists, and nature lovers.

Map showing the location of Jardin des plantes de Montpellier in Montpellier
Location of Jardin des plantes de Montpellier in Montpellier

Nearby Objects

Founding and Purpose

The Jardin des plantes de Montpellier is a botanical university garden founded in 1593 in Montpellier and is an integral part of the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier and the University of Montpellier. Founded by Pierre Richer de Belleval, it is the oldest botanical garden in France, predating the gardens of Strasbourg, Paris, and Caen. Its original purpose was the cultivation of medicinal plants, called simples, for teaching future doctors and apothecaries. Over time, the project expanded beyond this first role and became a botanical study tool that was unprecedented at the time. The garden is described as having three purposes: botanical, historical, and university.

Origins and Development of the Garden

The Jardin des plantes de Montpellier was created after Pierre Richer de Belleval was entrusted by letters patent with establishing a royal garden in Montpellier. It was intended to house medicinal plants as well as various foreign and domestic species, and it also included a chair responsible for anatomy and the explanation of medicinal plants. The project was introduced to the court by the king's physician Jean d'Ailleboust, and the garden was modeled on the Italian botanical garden of Padua, created in 1545. Over time, the project expanded beyond the cultivation of medicinal plants. Richer published its catalog in 1598.

The garden was destroyed during the siege of Montpellier in 1622, in the context of the Wars of Religion, and was then rebuilt from scratch by Richer de Belleval. In the early 17th century, it featured a significant collection of plants and various environmental reproductions, including a location dedicated to exotic plants. In the 19th century, Charles Frederic Martins was appointed director in 1851 and remained in post until 1879. A large greenhouse known as the serre Martins was constructed in 1860.

Current Use and Heritage Status

Today, the Jardin des plantes de Montpellier is frequented by botanists, doctors, pharmacists, schoolchildren, students, flora amateurs, tourists, and nature lovers. It is state-owned, assigned to the University of Montpellier, and managed by the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier. The current director is Professor John De Vos, who succeeded Professor Thierry Lavabre-Bertrand in 2024.

The garden holds several heritage designations. It has been classified as a protected site since 1984 and as a historical monument since 1992. In 2022, it obtained the 'jardin remarquable' label, confirming its recognized cultural value.

Restoration work has also been an important part of the garden's recent history. In 2010, restoration was underway under the chief architect of Historic Monuments study, with rehabilitation of the Martins greenhouse and development of its surroundings. The Maison de l’intendance, located at the garden of the Queen, was selected as an emblematic heritage lottery project in 2022.

The South Gate, built between 1841 and 1847 by mayor Guillaume Granier and botanist Alire Raffeneau-Delile, had been closed for twenty years before being reopened in 2025 after major restoration.

Intendants and Directors of the Garden

The history of the Jardin des plantes de Montpellier can be traced through a sequence of figures who served in its leadership roles. Pierre Richer de Belleval was intendant from 1593 to 1632, followed by François Chicoyneau, who served as intendant starting in 1664. Pierre Magnol became intendant in 1697, and François Boissier de Sauvages held the post from 1740 to 1758.

The title later changed to director. Antoine Gouan served as director from 1794 to 1803, followed by Pierre Marie Auguste Broussonet from 1803 to 1807 and Augustin Pyrame de Candolle from 1807 to 1816. Alire Raffeneau-Delile was director from 1819 to 1850, Charles Frédéric Martins from 1851 to 1879, and Jules Emile Planchon starting in 1881. More recently, Jean-Antoine Rioux served as director from 1977 to 1993. These names show the continuity of management across several centuries.

Features and Views of the Garden

The gallery associated with the Jardin des plantes de Montpellier highlights several named views and features within the garden. These include Le jardin des plantes de Montpellier itself, a view of the mountain in the garden, and a view of the observatory astronomique seen from the garden. Other elements shown are La mare aux lotus, Vigne en treille, and La noria, suggesting a variety of cultivated and scenic features. The gallery also presents the vestiges of the ancien jardin medical de Richer de Belleval, indicating the presence of historical remains within the site. In addition, two named paths or walks appear in the gallery: Alllee Charles Martins and Allee Francois Boissier de Sauvages. Together, these references show the garden as a place where landscape, planted features, and historical traces are all part of the visitor experience.

Monuments and Memorial Features

The Jardin des plantes de Montpellier includes a series of memorial and architectural features shown in the gallery. These include the Bassin de l'Ecole de botanique, which is shown with busts of Alire Raffeneau-Delile and Pierre Broussonet, as well as the L'orangerie as it appeared during the 800e anniversaire de la faculte de medecine. The gallery also shows the Statue de Pierre Richer de Belleval and busts of Guillaume Rondelet, the bishop Guillaume Pellicier, Pierre Magnol, Francois Boissier de Sauvages, and the botanist Pierre Cusson. In addition, there is a Monument en hommage a Rabelais by Jacques Villeneuve. Memorial elements connected with Narcissa Young are also represented through the Cenetaphe de Narcissa Young and the Tomb of Narcissa, which includes plaques quoting Edward Young and Andre Gide. The south gate of the garden, Le portail sud du Jardin des Plantes, is shown at boulevard Henri-IV and rue du Faubourg-Saint-Jaumes, and it was restored in 2025.