Jardin de l'État

Saint-Denis, Réunion, France

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The Jardin de l'État, formerly known as Jardin du Roy (Royal Garden), is a historic botanical garden and major green space in the center of Saint-Denis, the capital of Réunion, created between 1767 and 1773 by Pierre Poivre under the Compagnie des Indes as an acclimatation garden to introduce useful plant species to the colony.

The four-hectare park features an exceptional collection of rare and exotic trees including the talipot (a century-old tree that flowers only once before dying), baobab, and traveler's tree, along with large avenues, lawns, and relaxation areas, making it one of Saint-Denis's main "green lungs".

At the far end of the garden stands the Muséum d'Histoire naturelle de la Réunion (Natural History Museum), inaugurated in August 1855 in the former Palais législatif, which is housed within the historic site. The garden was classified as a Monument Historique in 1978 due to its botanical and historical significance, and restoration work began to restore its 19th-century layout while preserving rare trees and replanting.

Open daily except Monday from 6:45 am (winter) or 6:00 am (summer) to 19:00 (November–March) or 18:00 (April–October), with free admission, guided tours available on request, water games open on school holidays and weekends, a children's playground, café, and boutique, the garden is accessible via several entrances on rue de la Source, rue Bertin, rue Poivre, rue Malartic, and Place de Metz, facing rue de Paris.