Les Jardins des Martels

A labour of love located in the Tarn countryside, Jardins des Martels started as a family project which over time has developed from a small family farm into a botanical garden made up of 35 sections. 

Marie-Thérèse and André Reynier acquired the land in 1969. Although it was initially intended to be a farm, the couple shared a passion for flowers and plants, and began to landscape turf paths and flowerbeds. The couple won several flower shows throughout the 1970s and 80s, and they continued to work on their garden until a local newspaper visited and reported on their work in 1994. Several people who read the article asked the Reyniers if they could visit the garden, who decided to open it to the public in April of that year. In it’s first year, it attracted around 3,000 people. Since then, the garden has continued to grow and develop and now attracts between 42,000 and 47,000 every year. 

The garden is made up of a series of different sections, including a farm, a greenhouse of hanging orchids, and a peaceful oriental garden. The site is around 8.6 acres, and if that’s too big to walk around, you can always take the 19th century steam train which runs around the perimeter. Once inside, steampunk sculptures of animals are dotted along the path, subtly guiding visitors along the paths.

As well as the 2500 varieties of flowers and trees from 5 continents, animal lovers will not be disappointed on their visit. The farm is home to several creatures, with the most popular among visitors being the herd of deer, the llamas, and friendly (but hungry) goats. There are also donkeys, ducks, terrapins, and a herd of Highland cattle.

These unusual botanical gardens are a remarkable place to spend a day, thanks to the huge amount of care and love that has gone into Jardins des Martels. The calming atmosphere is the perfect place to relax and reflect on life, in a beautiful corner of the South of France.