Summer walks –
Discover the 7 most beautiful alpine gardens in French -speaking Switzerland
Staying in Switzerland in summer is a brilliant idea, especially to familiarize yourself with the Alpine flora around us. Follow the leader.
The Alpine Garden of Pont de Nant, also under the name of the Thomasia, is the oldest botanical garden in the canton of Vaud.
FLORIAN CELLA
- The rise in temperatures pushes ski resorts to develop the summer offer.
- The Flore-Alpe garden houses 4000 species over 6000 square meters.
- Less than an hour by train from Montreux, Rambertia protects 1000 alpine species in Rochers-de-Naye.
- The Thomasia welcomes 3000 species from mountains around the world.
Alpine gardens: Swiss madly, the image invoked makes you want alone. Proust’s Madeleine -style enjolive shot is not only for Aboriginal people. He also radiates abroad, where Switzerland is seen as a little Eldorado between lakes and Alps with eternally snowy summits. Promise of a freshness that has become a rare commodity in urban areas in summer, smelling good air at altitude during the summer period has aroused real craze for a few seasons.
Cool in height
At the place where ski tourism has encountered real difficulties linked to climatic conditions for a few years, ski resorts are forced to expand their offer by offering Ski activitiessuch as mountain biking or hiking. And the tracks formerly covered with snow in winter give way to green vegetation that makes them attractive all year round.
Beauty under a new prism
Let us take advantage of this forced adaptability to discover beauty under a new prism, that of the diversity of the Alpine flora. Small overview of the most beautiful alpine gardens, which we have listed the most exceptional below. The information referred to it is inspired by the websites of the selected places.
Alpine Flore-Alpe Botanical Garden (Valais)
The Flore-Alpe botanical garden in Valais, with its chalet.
imago images / IP3press
Located at 1520 m above sea level, the Flore-Alpe botanical garden covers an area of 6000 square meters. Winner of the natural heritage prize awarded by the Etrillard Foundation in 2024, this enchanting place is dotted with paths meandering between rockeries and small bridges overlooking the water pieces. Conjugating Lake Champex with snowy suits of the combins, the panorama is breathtaking. To complete the stunning statistics of this unique site, note that 4000 species of plants flourish, species of the local flora as well as mountain ranges from Europe and other continents.
Linnaea (Valais)
The Linnaea alpine garden is the oldest of the Western Alps.
The Linnaea Alpine Garden
Founded on July 20, 1889 by Henry Correvon on the northern slope of the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass, the Linnaea alpine garden is the oldest in the Western Alps. Today owned by the town of Bourg-Saint-Pierre, the garden has been maintained by the staff of the Conservatoires and Botanique Garden of Geneva since its catering during its 100e Birthday in 1989. Located on the site of the old quarter castle, the gardens cover four slopes and a summit tray. Thanks to its mountain climate, the Linnaea is home to more than 300 species from the Alpine flora.
Alpine garden La Rambertia (Vaud)
The Rambertia alpine garden, less than an hour by train from Montreux.
Montreux-Riviera Tourism
The Rambertia alpine garden is open during the summer season, from June to mid-October, when snow allows it. Reachable after a journey of less than an hour by train from Montreux, the Rochers-de-Naye offer a breathtaking panorama, majestic setting for mountain plants. Rambertia protects and cultivates nearly 1000 alpine species, including two kinds of Edelweiss and 600 local varieties. The dental path allows you to discover magnificent native plants.
Alpine garden Les Tussilages (Vaud)
The alpine garden Les Tussilages aux Diablerets.
DR
Located in the Deviablerets, the Les Tussilages alpine garden is located 1170 meters above sea level. The 2,500 square meters of its area have different thematic areas, among which we find Ormonts, Switzerland-Europe, Medicinal, Marais and Gypsum. A monolith, trails, a course of streams and small waterfalls animate the space. The garden is public and its access is free. The visitor will be able to identify the essences identified in the alpine garden during mountain excursions in the Ormonts valley or, on the return, will recognize them by walking in the garden.
La Thomasia, Pont de Nant (Vaud) garden
The Alpine Garden of Pont de Nant, also under the name of the Thomasia, is the oldest botanical garden in the canton of Vaud.
FLORIAN CELLA
Located at the foot of the Grand Muveran, 1260 meters above sea level, the Cantonal Alpine garden of Pont de Nant, also known as the Thomasia, is one of the oldest of the still active Europe. Nestled at the entrance to the Nant valley nature reserve, the garden benefits from the South-North of the Vallon orientation near the Martinets Glacier. The resulting microclimate is ideal for mountain plants. Nearly 3000 species are grouped by region of origin. Alongside the flowers of the Alps, there are plants from the Himalayas, the Rockies, the Caucasus, the Andes, Japan, New Zealand, the Atlas massif, and even arctic regions. This garden, dedicated to preservation and education, also offers a haven of peace for nature lovers, with trails allowing to discover its exceptional plant richness.
Alpine botanical garden Schynige Platte (Bern)
Lieu-said located in the Bernese Alps, the Alpin Garden Schynige Platte offers an exceptional panorama.
IMAGO/Depositphotos
First of its kind on alpine territory, Schynige Platte, the Schynige plateau in French, is also one of the few alpine gardens to house such a variety of plants growing upstream of the forest edge. Lieu-said located in the Bernese Alps, it is known for its exceptional panorama of the surrounding mountains: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Easy trails (distance of around 1 kilometer and elevation of 40 meters) allow you to discover 600 varieties of plants, representing two -thirds of the entire Swiss Alpine flora. The labels help to navigate. The entrance to the alpine garden is right next to the Schynige Platte-Bahn mountain station.
A little lower, but still …
Meyrin alpine botanical garden (Geneva)
Meyrin’s alpine botanical garden with its winding paths surrounded by shrubs and flowers.
KEYSTONE
Located in the Park of the town hall of the Geneva town, the Alpin Botanical Garden of Meyrin has the particularity of carrying the Alpine name while being located at an altitude of approximately 430 meters. Bucolic, its centers of interest are multiple: rockeries, wooded heritage, the house of the garden, the carin, the goat industry and the nant. Offering a unique olfactory experience that highlights the changing perfumes of flora and leaves, the path of scents remains the big favorite of the visit. As for rockeries, they echo the romantic stories of English travelers from the 18th centurye century discovering alpine landscapes. Most of the time enriched with a small chalet, it is the origin of the fashion of “rockeries”, associating blocks of rocks and plants of small size generally from the Alps between 2000 and 2500 meters and up to more than 4000 meters in the Himalayas.
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