Jardin botanique de Saint Xist

Le Clapier, France, France

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Jardin botanique de Saint Xist is a 900-square-meter botanical garden located in Le Clapier, Aveyron, in the Midi-Pyrénées region of southern France, within the Grands Causses Regional Natural Park.

Created in 1999 by René Touren, the garden is situated beside the 10th-century Saint-Xist church and was established as part of the church's restoration effort, transforming what was once an abandoned "garden of the cure" into a botanical space. The garden contains nearly 300 species of medicinal, aromatic, and poisonous plants, similar to those historically found in monastery "gardens of simples," along with local species from the neighboring Guillaumard plateau.

It is managed by the Eglise de Saint-Xist association and maintained in partnership with the Jardin des plantes de Montpellier, which sponsors the garden and confirms its quality and diversity. The garden is open to visitors free of charge, with opening times varying from weekends without charge in warmer months to year-round free access depending on the source, and visitors can discover about 100 varieties of plants and flowers during a self-guided or guided visit.