Jardin des Plantes
Sprawling Cherry Tree in Front of the Natural History Museum in Paris
The Museum of Natural History in Paris is surrounded by much to explore and has many stories connected with it. There are constantly changing seasonal flowers, greenhouses, a labyrinth, and one of the oldest menageries in the world. It is also the setting of some of the earliest scenes in Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer-prize-winning book, All the Light We Cannot See*. Marie-Laure’s father, Monsieur LeBlanc, works as a locksmith for the museum.
I haven’t had a chance to visit the museum, but I’ve visited the garden three times. One of my most memorable visits was in April when the cherry trees were in full bloom. Some might say this is the most magical time of year to visit Paris: they would probably be right. I’ve never seen such exquisite and perfectly formed cherry blossoms as I have in the Jardins des Plantes.
It’s very worthwhile to walk through the Alpine Garden, home to more than 2,000 mountain plant species. It’s a lush oasis in the middle of the city. If you’re visiting with kids, they’ll enjoy the zoo as well as running around the hedges of the small labyrinth, in the middle of which is a gazebo that features in the last scenes of All the Light We Cannot See. At the end of your visit, you can walk the perimeter of the garden, imagining Marie-Laure beginning to find her way home.
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