La Thomasia Alpine Garden, in Pont de Nant above Bex, showcases nearly 3,000 mountain plants from the Swiss Alps and other mountain ranges around the world. You can explore it freely along landscaped paths at the foot of the Grand Muveran rock face.
Botanical gardens
La Thomasia Alpine Garden
Main highlights
- Nearly 3,000 mountain plants, from the Swiss Alps to the Himalayas, the Rockies and the Andes
- Free admission to a botanical garden founded in 1891, located at an altitude of 1,260 m
- Gateway to the Vallon de Nant Nature Reserve, at the foot of the Grand Muveran
Overview
La Thomasia Alpine Garden sits at an altitude of 1,260 m in the Pont de Nant valley, above Bex. Founded in 1891, this botanical garden occupies part of a vast pasture backing onto the west face of the Grand Muveran. It is run by the Naturéum, the Cantonal Museum of Natural Sciences in Lausanne.
The Grand Muveran face, nearly 800 m high, shelters the garden from the wind and creates a microclimate favourable to high-altitude plants. The garden also marks the entrance to the Vallon de Nant Nature Reserve.
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What to see and do
The collections bring together nearly 3,000 mountain plants, arranged in themed areas. Species endemic to the Swiss Alps grow alongside plants from other European mountains, the Himalayas, the American Rockies and the Andes.
Each section recreates the natural habitat of these plants : alpine meadows, rock gardens and wetlands. A small stream runs through the garden and feeds ponds that are home to fish and aquatic insects.
You can follow the landscaped paths at your own pace. Information panels accompany the various collections. Beyond the garden, a 2.8 km educational trail with 12 panels crosses the pastures of the Vallon de Nant.
Practical information
Getting there : by car from Bex via Les Plans-sur-Bex, with parking nearby. In summer, a bus line connects Bex with Les Plans-sur-Bex.
Visit duration : allow 1 to 2 hours to explore the garden.
On site : free, self-guided visit, with no catering or developed tourist facilities. Pets are not allowed.
Visitor tips
Flowering is at its most abundant from June to September, especially in late spring and early summer. In August, blooms may be sparser. Morning light shows off the flowers beautifully against the rock faces.
At 1,260 m, it is cooler than in the valley and the weather changes quickly. Bring warm clothing, water and a snack.
Nearby attractions
- The Avançon Gorges, in the hills above Bex, offer family walks at the foot of the Grand Muveran.
- Fort de Dailly is an underground fortress above Lavey-les-Bains, visited on a guided tour.
- The Bex Salt Mines reveal the work of miners in a network of underground tunnels.
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