On Tuesday, October 31, the director of the Anatomy Laboratory at the Montpellier campus, Professor Captier, and Ms. Moulin, a body donor recruiter and embalmer, paid tribute to those who have donated their bodies to science during a ceremony at the Arnaud de Villeneuve campus in Montpellier.
As in the previous year, this ceremony brought together students from the Montpellier School of Medicine, faculty staff, and, above all, the donors’ families.
The first part of the event took place in the Rondelet Amphitheater, where Guillaume Captier and Maud Moulin shared information and engaged in discussions with the families and attendees. They paid tribute to the generous donors of the Anatomy Laboratory at the Montpellier School of Medicine and to the dedication they have shown in advancing science. In addition, they expressed their gratitude to all the families present for honoring the final wishes of their loved ones.
The ceremony continued with a moment of silence and the laying of a wreath in front of the Anatomy Laboratory on the Arnaud de Villeneuve Health Campus, where a commemorative plaque was unveiled so that families and anyone else who wishes to do so can pay their respects.
Did you know? The Jardin des Plantes is home to many unique features. Among the most recent is a permaculture vegetable garden. Created two years ago on the initiative of Jean-François “Jeff” Fauveau, a member of our team of botanist-gardeners, this permaculture garden is now the winner of the prestigious national vegetable garden competition, organized by the National Horticultural Society of France ! This is a source of immense pride for our Faculty and the teams at the Jardin des Plantes. At the awards ceremony held on November 30, we met Jeff, who told us about this project.
A project born out of post-lockdown reflection
It was in 2020 that the idea of creating a permaculture vegetable garden at the Jardin des Plantes first took root in Jeff’s mind. Intrigued by current events at the time, our gardener had noticed that many people were turning to permaculture as a response to political and economic challenges.
Driven by the Jardin des Plantes’ mission to raise awareness, Jeff hopes that this garden will encourage the people of Montpellier to reconnect with agriculture and take back control of their food. To that end, he is designing his project around plant varieties that are best suited for our balconies, terraces, and gardens in our region’s Mediterranean climate.
A permaculture garden: what’s that all about?
When we ask Jean-François to explain what a permaculture garden is, he responds on two levels:
- The technical aspect: Permaculture stems from practices shared around the world that focus on observing soil chemistry in order to minimize human intervention in the soil and its structure. The goal is to combine specific plant varieties—primarily perennials—to create symbiotic systems, thereby avoiding the use of chemical inputs such as pesticides or fertilizers.
- The value system: According to Jeff, permaculture is more than just a practice; it is based on a value system aimed at “protecting the earth and people, and sharing the surplus.”
All in all, a permaculture garden is a garden designed with sustainability in mind, based on careful observation of biological ecosystems. Cultivated with respect for nature, the seasons, and people, it allows plants to be grown without the use of chemicals.
The permaculture garden at the Jardin des Plantes: a place of plant diversity, open to the public
Launched in 2020, the permaculture garden can be seen in Plot No. 4 of the School of Systematics at the Jardin des Plantes. Covering an area of nearly 200 m², the garden features more than 250 species of plants, all of which are edible. Among the species grown, Jeff tries to balance so-called “classic” plants with more “unique” ones. You’ll find tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, apples, grapes, and corn, as well as Daubenton cabbage, Rocambolle garlic, stevia, peanuts, and bissap. Edible flowers are also on hand to delight the taste buds of even the most discerning gourmets.
This permaculture garden is tended by Jeff, who also works to introduce it to the people of Montpellier through guided tours between March and November. Jeff takes this opportunity to offer advice on permaculture and share the fruits of his labor by giving visitors some fruits and vegetables to taste when the season allows!
An original project, winner of the 2022 National Vegetable Garden Contest
All of this variety and these educational initiatives have undoubtedly helped make this project one of the winners of the national vegetable garden contest!
After submitting an entry in June in Category 4, “Educational Garden or Plot,” the teams at the Jardin des Plantes hosted the competition judges in September for a two-hour visit, during which the judges asked our gardener a variety of technical questions.
A few weeks later, Jeff was delighted to learn that his garden had been selected as one of the 60 gardens in the competition to receive the Grand Prize for the best educational vegetable garden in France!
Jean-François and Emmanuel Spicq, head gardener at the Jardin des Plantes, received the award during a ceremony held on November 30, 2022, in Paris. A source of great pride for Jeff:
“This is a wonderful surprise. I’m very happy—this project and this competition allow us to step outside our usual scope. It gives us the opportunity to connect with other national institutions and reach out to the wider world. I look forward to exchanging ideas with the other participants and winners to take this project to new horizons!”
More to Come on the Garden's Projects
In addition to putting our garden in the spotlight, this contest is indeed an opportunity to develop new relationships—whether for collaboration or partnership—with other gardeners, gardens, and/or institutions and organizations.
“I hope to gain new insights from these discussions that will help me apply permaculture practices to other projects. After the vegetable garden, I’d like to work with other fellow gardeners at the Jardin des Plantes to explore the possibility of creating a new permaculture plot focused on drought-tolerant plants!” Jeff tells us enthusiastically.
The plot, which has already been identified, will be located on the Dunal Dellile hill, another parcel belonging to the School of Systematics. We therefore wish our teams at the Garden the best of luck with this new project, which may provide an opportunity to enter this competition in a different category!
Practical Information:
- Visit the Jardin des Plantes: self-guided tours are available year-round
- Guided tour of the Permaculture Garden, led by Jeff Fauveau: May through November (growing season). Book your free tour here.
Every five years, a new dean’s office team—composed of associate deans and program coordinators—is appointed by the dean to represent the dean in carrying out specific tasks. This year, Prof. Nadine Houede was appointed Associate Dean for Finance. She will soon succeed Associate Dean Messner in this role. Read her interview here: learn about her background and the projects she hopes to implement as part of her role!
You were appointed by the Dean, Ms. Isabelle Laffont. Could you tell us about your background and your area of expertise?
With two doctorates—one in medicine and one in biostatistics—I had the opportunity to spend two years in Canada toward the end of my studies, which allowed me to gain solid experience in urological oncology and develop a research mindset. I began my career as an oncologist at the Bordeaux Cancer Center, where I served as head of the urological oncology department and the early-phase clinical trials unit, and as an active member of French and American medical societies specializing in oncology.
Currently a department head at the Nîmes University Hospital and deputy head of the division, I lead numerous research programs at an INSERM unit in Montpellier and advocate for the rapid translation of research advances into patient care.
How do you plan to balance your duties as associate dean with your other professional responsibilities?
I am fortunate to be supported by a young and dynamic team in oncology. I hold two positions associated with my academic status: Director of the Cancéropole Grand Sud-Ouest, working closely with cancer research teams, and now Vice Dean for Finance, supporting faculty and student projects.
What will your contributions and goals be? What projects do you hope to carry out in your role?
Since the Dean has placed her trust in me with this appointment, I wish to assist her to the best of my ability with the administrative responsibilities entrusted to me, both in relation to her specific initiatives regarding DI and DIU and in connection with the university. I will work to maintain a balanced budget in order to provide students and faculty with the best possible learning environment.
What motivated you to accept this appointment?
While I should point out that working with numbers comes naturally to me, two factors motivated me to accept this position: first, my gratitude to the faculty that appointed me as a professor in 2015 and my desire to give back by dedicating all my resources to furthering its work; and second, the supportive mentorship of my predecessor, Professor Patrick Messner.
This is an event not to be missed for students, practitioners, teachers, and staff: the Cin’éthique film screenings and discussions, organized by the Espace de Réflexion Ethique d’Occitanie, are making their big comeback. See below for the schedule of upcoming screenings.
A location and schedule to keep in mind for four sessions a year
Cin’éthique’s film screenings and discussions take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Faculty’s anatomy lecture hall, located in the Historic Building. Click on the image below to view the detailed schedule of screenings and accompanying discussions.
The SPES (Primary Care, Environment, and Health) program is a training course offered by the University Department of General Practice at the Montpellier-Nîmes School of Medicine. A one-day training session for general practice residents, as well as a public lecture, will take place on Thursday, October 13, 2022, on the ADV campus.
SPES, a 2021 award-winning training project under the 3rd PRSE, has been renewed by the ARS
SPES is atraining project in environmental healthe for general practice residents. It is part of the call for proposals issued by the Occitanie Regional Health Agency (ARS) as part of the 3rd Regional Health-Environment Plan, of which it is one of the successful applicants. Following asuccess, the ARS proposed a multi-year contract setting out objectives and resources for a period of 3 years.
SPES is therefore always organized in three stages:
Program for the 2022 Edition
This year, as part of Heritage Days, La Mission Bern, in partnership with the Fondation pour le Patrimoine and the Française des Jeux, will present the Jardins des Plantes team with a check funded by the Loto du Patrimoine! In the afternoon, a program of free guided tours awaits visitors.
The Jardin des Plantes, Selected by the Heritage Lottery
As we learned last March, the Jardin des Plantes was selected by the Mission Patrimoine—a program entrusted to Stéphane Bern by the Ministry of Culture — along with 18 other French sites to receive support from the Loto du Patrimoine. In addition to providing significant national visibility, this program will give the Jardin des Plantes administration a much-needed boost for its renovation, with work expected to begin soon.
To celebrate this occasion, the Jardin des Plantes will welcome a delegation from Mission Patrimoine and La Française des Jeux as part of European Heritage Days. An awards ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. this Saturday, September 17, at the Jardin des Plantes. This ceremony, attended by Mr. Lloberes, FDJ Regional Director for the Southeast; Mr. Pradel, FDJ Area Manager for Hérault Nord Aveyron; and Mr. Genet, Regional Delegate for Occitanie-Méditerranée for the Fondation du Patrimoine, will announce the Mission’s support for the Intendance renovation project.
An afternoon filled with guided tours!
To celebrate Heritage Days, our teams of gardeners and teachers are offering—for once—several guided tours. These tours are free and do not require reservations; they are conducted in small groups of 15 to 20 people. Be sure to arrive a few minutes early to secure a spot. If the weather is nice, a bottle of water and a hat are highly recommended!
See the schedule for the day below.
Note: This year, the Historic Building will not be open to the public due to renovation work.
We've talked about it
- France 3 Occitanie: 2022 Heritage Lottery: The Montpellier Botanical Garden Administration Receives 470,000 euros
- La Gazette de Montpellier: Heritage Lottery: €470,000 to Renovate the Intendance at the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier
- Metropolitan Area: Montpellier. The Bern Mission presents a check for 470,000 € to the Jardin des Plantes
Every summer, the Jardin des Plantes organizes tours to help the general public learn more about our botanical garden. Check out the summer 2022 program.
Tours for all ages
Open to everyone, the Jardin des Plantes’ summer tours cover nine recurring themes: “Herbs and the Sensory Gardens,” “Medicinal Plant Collections,” “The Jardin des Plantes’ Plant Collections,” “The Martins Greenhouse and Its Succulent Collection,” “To Be or Not to Be a Botanical Garden—That Is the Question,” “Tours of the Permaculture Edible Garden,” “Aromatic Plants and Spices,” and “The Garden, Medicine, and Botany for 400 Years.”
Practical Information
ADDRESS
Henri IV Boulevard,
34000 Montpellier
