Set in the Ermitage valley, close to the centre of Neuchâtel, the Botanical Garden showcases over 3,000 plant species across 8 hectares. Explore themed collections, greenhouses, ponds and forests surrounded by cliffs.
Botanical gardens
Main highlights
- Eight botanical collections bringing together over 3,000 species, including the Garden of Evolution
- The Claude Favarger Alpinum and its 500 species from eight European mountain ranges
- The Kaléidoscope trail, a permanent route for discovering nature through the five senses
Overview
The Neuchâtel Botanical Garden covers 8 hectares in the Ermitage valley, surrounded by forests and cliffs. Rooted in an academic tradition dating back to the 1880s, it moved several times before settling on this site in 1998.
The garden is divided into three parts : themed collections to the west, human-managed natural habitats in the centre and forests to the east, part of which is left to evolve freely. The entire site is cultivated using organic methods.
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What to see and do
The Garden of Evolution presents around a hundred plant families along three routes : botanical classification, the evolutionary history of plants and symbioses. The Claude Favarger Alpinum, a tribute to the botany professor, displays plants from eight European mountain ranges, from the Iberian Peninsula to the Caucasus. The herb garden, laid out as a French formal garden next to the Villa, brings together more than 180 medicinal plants grouped by their native habitats.
The subtropical greenhouses house exotic and carnivorous plants as well as beetle collections. In the ponds, you can spot grass snakes, newts and frogs. An orchard, a vineyard and hay meadows round off the visit.
The Kaléidoscope trail invites you to discover nature through the five senses. The garden also hosts temporary exhibitions.
Practical information
Getting there : from the centre of Neuchâtel, take bus 109, then walk 10 minutes. By car, follow the brown “Jardin botanique” signs. Address : Chemin du Pertuis-du-Sault 58.
Visit duration : allow 1.5 to 2 hours.
Suitable for : families, walkers, and groups (guided tours by reservation).
On site : parking at the entrance, reception area at the Villa, dogs allowed in the park.
Visitor tips
Ask for a map at the Villa reception to find your way between the collections. Spring and summer offer the most blooms and scents, but the park can be enjoyed in every season.
For groups, book a guided tour in advance. With children, head for the Kaléidoscope trail and the ponds.
Nearby attractions
- The Centre Dürrenmatt in Neuchâtel offers a cultural world dedicated to the Swiss writer.
- The Neuchâtel Natural History Museum presents wildlife, geology and evolution.
- Valangin Castle was the residence of the Lords of Valangin from the 12th to the 16th century.
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