Le Havre - A glimpse at a world of hanging gardens

Le Havre with Nomad

Let’s set out and explore the places to visit around Nomad Hotels. Today we head to Le Havre and explore the city #enmodenomad!

Véronique's tip:

« This botanical garden is located in the heights of Le Havre in the Sanvic quarter. It overlooks the lower town, the estuary and the Channel so that you can watch the boats come and go and see the whole of Le Havre. »

Véronique, Manager aged 45, but also a keep walker and dreamer

Situated less than 15 minutes from the NOMAD Hotel in Le Havre, the hanging gardens offer you a splendid view and much more besides.

a historic site

Although last year was just their 10th birthday, the ancient fort that houses them is far older. Dating back to the 19th Century, the Fort de Sainte-Adresse was once a military facility that defended the city of Le Havre. Today we can still see its imposing doors and moats before entering its spacious inner courtyard that has become a refuge for a whole range of plants. The Fort de Sainte-Adresse, built between 1852 and 1854, was inspired by the architecture of Vauban and is not the only bastion in this area. In fact, there are two other defensive forts; the Fort du Mont-Joly, also known as the Fort de Frileuse, and the Fort de Tourneville, a military installation that is nowadays a cultural venue open to the public.

Because of its location, this former fort protecting the bay offers an exceptional view of the sea, the port and the lower town. The gardens also boast the « jardins remarquables » label since 2014 and the « jardins botaniques » label since 2017, hosting a large collection of plants from the four corners of the globe…

A TRIBUTE TO THE EXPLORERS: « AN OPEN BOOK COVERING THE WHOLE WORLD »

Spanning 17ha, here you can admire greenhouses that contain plants from all 5 continents brought back by explorers. Numerous treasures await you in these gardens: fragrant and aromatic plants from South Africa, Australia, Mexico, North America, Tasmania, New Zealand and Japan, this is a fine tribute to the adventurers who allowed us to discover the great variety that nature provides to this day.

great biodiversity

On the one hand we can explore the working greenhouses that allow us to keep the entire city in bloom, whilst on the other hand we can view those that house collections open to the public.

« From spring to late summer you can lose yourself among the 3,700 species of plants and the countless floral arrangements that entice you with their colours and scents. The whole outdoor area is free to visit! Some of the greenhouses require a small entrance fee and are sure to transport you to another place thanks to their exotic flowers » according to Véronique.

This is therefore an ideal trail that holds your hand along a walk amidst an array of plants that come in every colour, shape and size to create a fantasy world. Workshops are also held in the gardens for adults and children, as well as temporary exhibitions of blooms.

a sustainable development site

The hanging gardens were built and are maintained using materials and building techniques that respect nature. Masonry from the former fort has also been preserved and reused whenever possible. In addition to this, the watering facilities are all energy-saving, with rain water recovery systems, geothermal heating and solar panels that produce all the required electricity. This is a site that has been designed to respect the environment and pay tribute to a stunning range of plant life in a truly admirable way.

To sum up, the hanging gardens provide a breath of fresh air and an explosion of colour for all nature lovers who dream of getting away from it all…

Les Jardins Suspendus
29 Rue Albert Copieux
Rue Copieux
76600 Le Havre