Serre de la Madone

Menton, France, France

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Serre de la Madone is a famous 6-hectare botanical garden in Menton, France, located at 74 Route de Gorbio in the Alpes-Maritimes on the French Riviera, notable for its unique terraced design and incredible collection of rare subtropical and exotic plants from around the world.

Created between 1924 and 1939 by Major Lawrence Johnston, a British-American plant enthusiast who had previously designed the celebrated Hidcote Manor Garden in Britain, the garden features a double pool centered layout with plants rising in terraces up the hillside in the sheltered Gorbio valley.

The garden is classified as a Historic Monument since 1990 and is now owned by the Conservatoire du Littoral and managed by Menton's city hall, containing three remarkable national plant collections including Araliaceae (with the impressive Tétrapanax), Pittosporaceae (with enchanting fragrances), and Protéaceae (with stunning colorful flowers).

Open from mid-February to late December every day except Monday from 10 AM to 6 PM, with guided tours daily at 3 PM, it is considered an earthly paradise and haven of freshness and greenery that showcases Mediterranean, subtropical, and exotic species in a unique microclimate, though it closes in November and December.