The Jaÿsinia botanical garden in Samoëns

Published on July 4, 2024 at 4:00 pm

Labelled a "remarkable garden" in 2013 and listed as a historic monument in 2016, the Jardin botanique Jaÿsinia is located in the main commune of the vallée du Giffre in Haute-Savoie, in Samoëns. This magnificent Alpine botanical garden was created in 1906 by one of the village's former residents, after she became the founder of the Samaritaine in Paris. Located in the centre of the town, near the Samoëns church, it is part of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle.

With a path running through it and a mountain stream running through it, it offers the opportunity for a romantic stroll through the alpine flora and mountain plants from all over the world. You'll also enjoy superb views over the village of Samoëns, the Giffre valley and the surrounding mountains. So if you're staying at Flaine in the summer, be sure to visit the Jardin botanique Jaÿsinia, a must-see among the treasures of this splendid region of the Grand Massif..

Summary

Discover an exceptional site in Samoëns: the Jaÿsinia alpine garden
The origins of the Jaÿsinia Botanical Garden

Discover an exceptional site in Samoëns: the Jaÿsinia alpine garden

In the Jardin botanique Jaÿsinia, in the centre of the charming village of Samoëns, plants and flowers from mountainous areas all over the world flourish. Almost four hectares in size, this botanical garden offers a guaranteed change of scenery in the heart of the Alps: stroll along the path that will lead you to explore various regions of the world through the plants that represent them. You'll have the chance to admire the giant American sequoia, the blue thistle typical of our Alpine peaks, the cedar of Lebanon and the Balkan crocus.

Pink Mallow flowers along the path in Samoëns, a picturesque village in the Giffre Valley, Haute-Savoie.

The Jaÿsinia Alpine Botanical Garden is criss-crossed by a spring that feeds the fountains, ponds and marshes that dot the expanses of vegetation. Continue on your way to the chapel from here. It's from here that you'll enjoy the best view of the village of Samoëns and the Giffre valley.

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Chalet-Hotel Neige et Roc, The Originals Relais

Located on the outskirts of the village, the Chalet-Hôtel Neige et Roc is an ideal base for discovering life in a French village.

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The origins of the Jaÿsinia Botanical Garden

The Jaÿsinia was born in 1906. Marie-Louise Jaÿ, born in 1838 and originally from the village, left it as a teenager to go to the capital. Married to Ernest Cognacq, she and her husband created the successful Parisian department stores' La Samaritaine. At the end of their lives, the couple, who had no children of their own, devoted their fortune to charitable works. In 1906, Marie-Louis Jaÿ acquired the land where she had grown up and transformed it into a superb alpine botanical garden.

Gentiane de Bavière - Gentiana bavarica

Designed by landscape architect Jules Allemand, it is a true work of landscape art, and now boasts some two and a half thousand species of mountain flowers, including gentians, edelweiss and androsaces, and a total of 8,000 plants from all five continents. Since 1936, the La Jaÿsinia Botanical Garden has been run by the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. A phytological laboratory, the GRIFEM, carries out a wide range of research there.

Edelweiss alpine flower - Stella alpina, rare flower of the French and Italian Alps

Thousands of visitors come here every year to admire this grandiose spectacle dedicated to the wild flora of the cold regions and to stroll along the waterfalls, pools, streams, rocks, lapiaz and side paths that make up this exceptional site in Samoëns.

Practical information

Address: 40 rue du Parc (village centre, behind the church), 74 340 Samoëns

Opening times :

The Jaÿsinia garden in Samoëns can be visited free of charge every day. Times vary depending on the time of year:

8am to 12pm and 1.30pm to 7pm from 1 May to 30 October ;
8am to 12pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm from 1 November to 30 April.

Guided tours are organised by the botanical laboratory as an introduction to botany (booking and registration required at chauplan@mnhn.fr).

Find all the important information about the Jardin botanique alpin la Jaÿsiana on the Samoëns Tourist Office website https://www.samoens.com/jardin-botanique-alpin-la-jaysinia/?utm_source=easyvoyage

As you can see, the Jardin botanique la Jaÿsiana is a little haven of peace that's a must-see if you're staying in the Grand Massif. And if you're feeling hungry after your visit, we recommend the very pretty, high-quality snack bar in the centre of the village of Samoëns. Les Tartines de Martine welcomes you to the heart of a boutique-restaurant decorated with great refinement. Local delicatessen products and excellent snacks, including soups, savoury tarts and original, tasty tartines!

Book online at: https://les-tartines-de-martine.byclickeat.fr/order?utm_source=easyvoyage

by Faustine PEREZ | Staff Writer

Faustine Perez is a writer currently based in Paris. She is pursuing a Master's degree at SciencesPo Paris in Communications, Media and Creative Industries. She is an avid traveller and has been fortunate to explore the USA and the Caribbean.

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