Jardin Exotique de Roscoff, Botanical garden in Roscoff, France.
The Jardin Exotique de Roscoff is a botanical garden sitting on a rocky outcrop and housing over 3,350 plant species from Australia, New Zealand, and South America. The site spans 1.6 hectares and displays a diverse collection of subtropical and exotic plants.
The Finistère department acquired the Roc'h Hievec site in 1986, after which plant specialists began building this botanical collection. Since then, the location has grown into a significant center for preserving these uncommon plants.
The garden houses a national collection of aeoniums and demonstrates how southern hemisphere plants thrive in Brittany's harsh coastal landscape. Visitors can see how the place has become home to flora that would normally grow only in warmer regions.
The garden is open daily with shorter hours from December to February and extended hours from July to August. Visitors should know that the rocky terrain offers uneven ground, so sturdy footwear is important.
The coastal position creates a special microclimate that allows southern hemisphere plants to grow, including Echium flowers that reach up to 4 meters tall. Visitors are often surprised to find such subtropical giants in this rough corner of northern Brittany.
Location: Roscoff
GPS coordinates: 48.71610,-3.97030
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:46
France has several dozen botanical gardens combining scientific research and plant conservation. The greenhouses of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris host over 4,500 species in climate-controlled zones, while the Lyon Botanical Garden cultivates around 15,000 plants divided between historic greenhouses and thematic sections. Universities such as Strasbourg maintain scientific collections over 2.5 hectares with greenhouses dating from 1881, and the Nantes Botanic Garden conserves 11,000 species, including 50 protected French varieties. These facilities document four centuries of botanical study and serve both education and research. Coastal gardens utilize temperate maritime conditions to display unusual plants. The Roscoff Exotic Garden gathers 3,500 species from the Southern Hemisphere on a rocky promontory, cultivating Australian and New Zealand plants adapted to Brittany’s climate. On the French Riviera, the Èze Garden showcases Mediterranean and succulent collections at 1,407 feet above sea level, while the Saint-Jean-de-Luz Coastal Botanical Garden focuses on Atlantic coastal species. The Grandes Bruyères Arboretum near Orléans encompasses 15,000 trees and shrubs from Europe, Asia, and North America across 34 acres, organizing plantings according to their geographic origins.
Brittany combines medieval architecture with natural landscapes. The region features cliffs, forests, lighthouses, and coastal villages. Visitors find Celtic megaliths, castles, abbeys, and maritime museums. The coast displays granite formations, bays, and islands. Inland areas contain canals, gardens, and historic estates.
Jardin Georges Delaselle
3.1 km
Notre-Dame-de-Croaz-Batz
1.6 km
Roscoff lighthouse
1 km
Chapelle Sainte-Anne de l'Île de Batz
3.3 km
Nécropole du Jardin Georges Delaselle
3.1 km
Baptismal fonts of Église Notre-Dame de Croaz Batz
1.6 km
Villa Kerléna
1.8 km
Chapelle Saint-Ninien dite de Marie Stuart de Roscoff
1.5 km
Maison dite de Marie Stuart, 19 rue de l'Amiral-Réveillère
1.5 km
Chapelle Sainte-Anne de Roscoff
1.3 km
Calvaire du Champ de la Rive
3.4 km
Manoir de Kersaliou
2.4 km
Maisons, 16-18 Rue Albert de Mun, Roscoff
1.6 km
Maison des Johnnies et de l’oignon de Roscoff
1.3 km
Calvaire de l'église Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Secours d'Île-de-Batz
1 km
Croix de Kene Kaou
1.2 km
Chapelle Sainte-Barbe de Roscoff
1.1 km
Chapelle Saint-Joseph
3.6 km
Altar of Saint Peter of Église Notre-Dame de Croaz Batz
1.6 km
Altar of Saint Genevieve of Église Notre-Dame de Croaz Batz
1.6 km
Ossuaries of Église Notre-Dame de Croaz Batz
1.7 km
Chapelle Saint-Nicolas de Roscoff
1.2 km
Maison, 09 Rue Amiral Reveillère, Roscoff
1.5 km
Maison, Passage Louis Noir, Roscoff (PA29000022)
1.4 km
Maison, 2 rue Armand-Rousseau
1.6 km
Immeuble, 22 rue de l'Amiral-Réveillère
1.5 km
Hôtel particulier, 11 rue des Vieilles Ursulines
3.6 km
Maison, 25 Rue Amiral Reveillère, Roscoff
1.5 kmReviews
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