Narrow streets and cheese are definitely some of the most enjoyable things with Montpellier – but, not surprisingly, what I liked the most about this university town was the botanical garden. Jardin des Plantes was established in 1593, making it the oldest botanical garden in France. It is a green oasis in the otherwise quite vegetation-poor inner city. Not very big, but lush, intimate, full of hidden paths and benches to sit and enjoy the greenery from, small architectural details perfectly blending in with the vegetation. Romantic.
This four hundred year old green olive tree (Phillyrea latifolia) is the oldest tree in the garden. Look at that trunk! Isn’t it amazing?
There was no entrance fee, and the opening hours were long, making it a place that locals and tourists alike seemed to enjoy visiting for a calm evening stroll. There were birds, and cats everywhere!
I spent several hours walking around on the paths, failing to get close to the cats, sitting on different benches, reading. I could easily have spent more time there. It was a really beautiful, small, half-wild but still very well-kept botanical garden.
Katja Malmborg 