(Re)Discover the Jardin des Plantes in a fun way

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You probably already know this: the Jardin des Plantes is a unique place in Montpellier to relax. But did you know that it’s also a place for discovery and exchange? The botanists and gardeners take this role to heart and organize numerous events throughout the year to help you discover the garden from this perspective. This is particularly true right now with“Summer Tours.”Finally, the Jardin des Plantes serves an educational purpose year-round—a mission that’s really taking off, reconnecting with its roots (teaching botany) while embracing modern objectives and tools. To reinforce this educational aspect, one of our staff members, Denis Nespoulous, has created interactive trails to let you discover the garden as you’ve never seen it before!

The Origins of the Connected Trails at the Jardin des Plantes

The trail known as “SMART BOTA” was created in 2018 for the Tela Botanica association’s introductory MOOC on botany.

This association, founded in 1999 and comprising a broad network of French-speaking botanists, aims to:

  • to promote the exchange of information among botanists,
  • facilitate projects using digital tools,
  • produce copyright-free data on flora,
  • raise awareness and provide training in botany.

What are "connected trails"?

The “Connected Trails” are information sheets available to everyone and spread across several routes. They can be accessed via a QR code using a smartphone or tablet. These allow you to explore the garden’s treasures at your own pace. The four different routes are posted at the entrance to the Jardin des Plantes: simply follow the guide, or—if you prefer—lose yourself in the garden’s paths.

These botanical fact sheets provide a variety of information about the plant you scan, such as a description, its uses, and its habitat. It’s a fun and engaging way to learn more about the flora around us!

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The Garden's Five Connected Paths

For now, there are five connected trails within the Jardin des Plantes. These may change over time thanks to your collaboration.

The SMART’BOTA Trail

The second connected trail at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier, and the first trail designed for educational purposes, it was created in 2018 for Tela Botanica’s introductory MOOC on botany of which Denis serves as the course coordinator. The course aims to introduce enthusiasts to botany. It features about sixty species and introduces you to the main plant families.

The SMART’PHARMA Trail

An extension of the first “SMART’BOTA” trail; this trail was created for students at the Montpellier School of Pharmacy. Indeed, a wide variety of plants can be used for therapeutic and medicinal purposes. This trail allows students students to combine the theoretical aspects of their courses with practical ones by directly observing the plants within the Garden. This educational trail is also accessible to everyone. It features approximately sixty plant species.

The "Remarkable Trees" Trail

This trail, created in 2014, is the oldest trail in the Jardin des Plantes. It allows you to discover all the secrets of the Jardin des Plantes’s tall trees. It’s also the only trail you can explore without your smartphone, as it features information panels, but feel free to scan the QR codes on the signs to unlock all the secrets of botany! This interactive trail features 25 tree species selected from among the garden’s most remarkable and oldest trees.

The HERBES FOLLES Trail

This trail, created for Tela Botanica’s “Herbes Folles” MOOC (the second edition is scheduled for this fall!), aims to help you rediscover these plants that are pejoratively referred to as “weeds.” They, too, have their benefits, and beyond their drawbacks—which we certainly don’t deny—they also play an important role in our environment. The wild herbs in the garden invite you to reflect on issues of biodiversity. This trail will help you see these “weeds” in a whole new light…

The " OBSERVATOIRE DES SAISONS" Trail

The last trail is somewhat unique, as it is part of a citizen science. Get involved in this CNRS program by observing the 12 species along the trail. Its goal is also to raise awareness about global warming by introducing us to phenology (the observation of periodic events, in this case involving plants). At the entrance to the Jardin des Plantes, you can ask for a specially designed form where you can record your observations. This data will help scientists better understand and monitor climate change and its associated challenges.

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And for those who are curious, check out the app

If you’d like to explore Montpellier’s Jardin des Plantes further using digital tools, you can download the SMART’ FLORE app on all your Android devices. The app offers:

  • Trails near you
  • Plants geolocated to the nearest meter
  • Access to all the botanical profiles created as part of this collaborative project

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App User Guide
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Interview with photographer Cédric Matet for the exhibition “Man in His Garden”

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As part of the 800th-anniversary celebrations, a photography exhibition will take place from July 10 to October 10. Curated by renowned photographer CédricMATET, it will be held at the Jardin des Plantes. In 2020, this photographer also curated the exhibition “Behind the Masks,” whichfeatures200 portraits of medical personnel.

Practical Information

 

View the press kit

"People in Their Gardens"

The title of the exhibition is fundamentally linked to itscontent. In fact, for this exhibition, the artist chose to work with anatomical specimens from the Faculty’s anatomy collection. To better understand his project, we interviewed the photographer.

 

What is your background?

I’m originally fromSète. I attended a design school in Montpellier that is now called ESMA. After that, I enrolled at the Gobelins School of Visual Arts in Paris. Later, I went back to school to earn a master’s degree in Urban Planning and Sustainable Development because I’m interested in cities. In the meantime, I’ve been working in art direction and design at various communications agencies.

What interests me is connecting art to the city, to maps, to cartography, and to people. In my view, an artist must be rooted in their context: urban, political, and human.

 

Can you tell us about the “Behind the Masks” project?

It was GéraldCHANQUES, a professor at the faculty and a doctor atSaint EloiHospital, who contacted me and proposed this project. I wanted to convey a vision ofwhat healthcare providers can be and the commitments they make. 

 

How would you describe yourself?

If I had to define myself and my work, I would talk abouttransdisciplinarity. I am a photographer, but I’m also a visual artist; I enjoy working with various materials and collaborating with people from different fields.

 

Can you tell us about your new exhibition, “Man in His Garden”?

It’s been a while since I first thought of writing about the Jardin des Plantes, but I’ve always had a real passion for the anatomy museum I visited when I was a student. Being able to explore botany through the garden, but also to explore humanity and research on the human body—I think that’s fabulous. The project was a collaboration between the two of us, once again with ProfessorCHANQUES.

This project is interesting becauseit takes me out of my comfort zone;I usuallytake portraits, but that’s not the case here.
Furthermore, since all the rooms are designated as heritage sites, I have a special relationship with the curator. She’s the third subject of this project—I can’t work without her. Usually, I direct my model,but here I can’t because of the piece’s fragility—every movement must be carried out by the curator.
It’sinteresting becausethe artwork and the garden exist independently of me. 

There are three of us working on this project: Jane, who creates digital art and is a videographer; Luc, who does motion design, among other things; and me, who works with visuals and handles the art direction for the whole project. None of us knows what the final result will be.

 

How did you choose the anatomical structures?

I first sought advice from ProfessorCHANQUES and the curators to find out which pieces are emblematic of the conservatory. I didn’t choose the pieces based on their aesthetic appeal, since the goal of this exhibition is to tell a story and convey meaning.
The only exception to this is a bust we found—no one knows the identity of the person depicted, its history, or the era it comes from. I found it fragile and touching, so I decided to include it. It’s the only piece I selected based on a gut feeling.

There are some pieces that,unfortunately, we were unable to include because of their fragility. I was also drawn to other pieces, but they didn’t depict the human body and therefore strayed from the subject. I’ll explore those later for another, more personal project.

Some pieces are also too heavy to move. However, that’s part of the exhibition’s story.
For some pieces that we couldn’t bring out to the Jardin des Plantes, we brought the Jardin to them by using branches and foliage.

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Summer Tours at the Jardin des Plantes

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For the past 10 years, the Jardin des Plantes has been organizing summer tours to help the general public learn more about our botanical garden. Check out the summer 2021 program.

 

Tours for all ages

 

Open to everyone, the Jardin des Plantes’ summer tours cover a variety of themes:
  • The medicinal plant collections at the Jardin des Plantes
  • Richer Mountain: Where History and Ecology Meet
  • The Martins Greenhouse and Its Collection of Succulents
  • Tours of the Permaculture Edible Garden
  • Herbs and the Senses

Practical Information

ADDRESS

Henri IV Boulevard,

34000 Montpellier

  • Free admission

  • No registrations

  • Please arrive 10 minutes before the tour begins

PROGRAM
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FacMedMtp-BH

URGENT – Cancellation of Heritage Days 2020

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Following a decision by the Prefect of Hérault, Heritage Days will not take place in public buildings. The Faculty and the Jardin des Plantes are affected by this cancellation. More information in this article.

 

Cancellation of the European Heritage Days at the Faculty of Medicine and its Botanical Garden

Prefectural Order No. 2020.01.1066 prohibits state-run institutions from welcoming the public during the 2020 European Heritage Days due to the current public health situation.

We therefore regret to announce the cancellation of the guided tours scheduled for Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20. 

This cancellation applies to events scheduled to take place in the Faculty of Medicine’s Historic Building as well as at the Jardin des Plantes.

Download the Prefectural Order Download the press release from the Prefecture

 

The temporary exhibitions “Art and Anatomy” and “Body to Heart” will be suspended on September 19

In consultation with the University’s administration, the Faculty’s leadership has decided to suspend the temporary exhibitions currently on display in the Historic Building this weekend as well: “Art and Anatomy” at the Atger Museum and the “Corps à Coeur” exhibition in the Tekné Makré galleries.

 

These exhibitions will resume their regular hours starting Monday, September 21.

 

Download the university press release

 

 

 

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CANCELLATION: Spring 2020

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In light of the evolving health crisis and coronavirus-related restrictions, the President of the University of Montpellier has decided to cancel the 17th edition of Primavera, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 22, 2020, at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier.

As in previous years, Primavera 2020 was expected to welcome between 6,000 and 8,000 visitors throughout the day to take part in this celebration of plants and spring. On this occasion, the general public was invited to stroll through the exceptional setting of France’s oldest botanical garden to explore the grounds, meet botanical experts, and visit numerous nonprofit booths. The event also offered visitors the chance to discover two art exhibitions and attend lectures on botany.

We will keep you informed of any potential postponement of the event.

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Heritage Days: Rediscover the Faculty

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To celebrate European Heritage Days 2019, (re)discover our Faculty—from its contemporary building to its historic building, and the Jardin des Plantes! Find the program of events here:
 

Download the Program

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Downtown Sites: Historic Building and Jardin des Plantes

 

Due to the protests scheduled for downtown on Saturday, the Historic Building and the Jardin des Plantes will be closed ALL DAY on Saturday.

 

North Campus: Arnaud de Villeneuve Campus

Address: 641 Avenue du Doyen Gaston Giraud, Parvis Simone Veil, Montpellier

Hours: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Places to visit and activities:

  • The Rabelais and Rondelet lecture halls, a classroom, the simulation-based learning space, and the center of excellence for practical skills.
  • Self-guided tours depart every 10 minutes; meet at the Atrium; groups of 20 people.
  • Dr. Christophe Bonnel will present a slideshow on innovative teaching methods near the simulation platform.
  • Teaching, administrative, and technical staff will be on hand to assist visitors.

 

Lectures in the Rabelais and Rondelet Lecture Halls

 

Rabelais Amphitheater

10:30 a.m. – What Our Genes Reveal About Our Health: Predictive and Personalized Medicine.

  • By Professor Pascal Pujol

11:30 a.m. – History of Surgery in Montpellier.

  • By Prof. Michel Chammas, Associate Dean of the Faculty

2:30 p.m. – Doctors in Montpellier and Botany: A Long History

  • By Professor Thierry Lavabre-Bertrand, Vice President of the University, Associate Dean of the Faculty, and Director of the Jardin des Plantes

4:30 p.m. – Pioneering Women at the Montpellier School of Medicine.

  • By Professor Michel Mondain, Dean of the Montpellier-Nîmes School of Medicine

Rondelet Amphitheater

10:30 a.m. – From Pregnancy to Childbirth: 1850 to the Present—Technological Advances.

  • By Professor François Bonnel and Audrey Albiges, Midwifery Student

11:30 a.m. – Dermatology in Montpellier Since the 19th Century

  • By Professor Jean Meynadier

2:30 p.m. – Educational materials for learning anatomy and medical techniques.

  • By Dr. Christophe Bonnel

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Historic Building

Address: 2 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, Montpellier

Hours: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Places to visit and activities:

  • Anatomy Museum, Anatomy Amphitheater, Council Room, Assembly Hall, University Library (BU), Atger Museum, Tekne Makre Rooms, Cour d’Honneur, Dugès Room.
  • Historical University Library of Medicine: Exhibitions of ancient manuscripts in the reading room and in the director’s office. “Books and People” exhibition in the Tekne Makre Rooms.
  • Atger Museum: 1,000 drawings and some 5,000 prints from the French, Italian, and Northern European schools, donated to the Faculty by Montpellier collector Xavier Atger (1758–1833), a knowledgeable and passionate art lover.
  • DOR Exhibition Hall: Sunday morning: 10:15 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 11:45 a.m. Guided tours; sign up on-site in the Atrium; groups of 18 people; led by the Department of Scientific Culture and Historical Heritage (DCSPH) at the University of Montpellier.
  • Dr. Christophe Bonnel will present several slide shows in the Dugès Hall, the Anatomy lecture hall. He will also lead tours of the Anatomy Museum alongside Professor François Bonnel and provide commentary on the museum and the Faculty in the Council Chamber and the Assembly Hall between lectures.
  • Live music from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. featuring the Med’Ley Association, made up of medical students.
  • Teaching, administrative, and technical staff will be on hand to assist visitors.

Lectures in the Salle des Actes:

10:30 a.m. – The School of Medicine: Places and People.

  • By Professor Olivier Jonquet

11:30 a.m. – The Teaching of Medicine in Montpellier in the Middle Ages.            

  • By Professor Jean-Pierre Dedet

2:30 p.m. – The history of Delpech's growth to the present day.

  • By Prof. Alain Dimeglio

4:30 p.m. – The School of Medicine: Traditions and Costumes.

  • By Professor Gérald Chanques

 

Jardin des Plantes

Address: Boulevard Henri IV, Montpellier

Hours: 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Places to visit and activities:

  • Self-guided tours at the Jardin des Plantes: Come discover the flowers and plants of France's oldest botanical garden!

North Campus: Arnaud de Villeneuve Campus

The North Site will be closed this Sunday.

 

 

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