Arboretum Gaston Allard

Angers, France, France

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The Arboretum Gaston Allard is a 7-hectare municipal arboretum located in Angers, France, at 9 rue du Château d'Orgement, established in 1863 by the renowned botanist and dendrologist Gaston Allard (1838–1918) on the grounds of his former home, the closerie Maulévrie.

Today it houses an exceptional tree collection of approximately 4,300 specimens representing 1,600 taxa, including 705 types of conifers and 50 varieties of oaks, with notable specimens like Quercus variabilis, Pseudocydonia sinensis, and Tilia mongolica. The arboretum also contains a major herbarium with more than 350,000 specimens from the 19th and 20th centuries, along with several themed gardens such as the Jardin des Ombrages, Jardin d'Essais, and Jardin des 5 sens that showcase the region's horticultural heritage.

Visitors can enjoy tranquil ponds, charming sculptures including a black bronze couple embracing among tulips, century-old oak trees for seating, a collection of hydrangeas that bloom in late June to early July, and the François Cacheux museum featuring the Angevin artist's fusains, drawings, and sculptures.

The park offers free public access, is open daily from 8 AM to 6 PM year-round, and provides educational programs, guided tours, a "book box" for borrowing and lending books, and children's play areas, making it a peaceful haven for nature enthusiasts, families, and anyone seeking to recharge in lush greenery.