Jardin de Saint Adrien; an award winning garden in the south of France

Visit Le Jardin de Saint Adrien

The Jardin de Saint-Adrien is located in Servian in the Herault department of Languedoc Roussillon. If you are in the region of Beziers or Pezenas make sure you visit this garden.

The garden won the 2013 award for the best loved garden of the French, the 'Jardin Préféré des Francais 2013' in a competition by the France 2 television chanel.

Explore the Jardin de Saint Adrien

Created on the site of a medieval quarry the garden has been built up around the rock. The main feature of the garden is a large natural lake with rock sides that have been planted with some amazing agaves.

Around the lake the grass is verdant even in the summer and is watered with water collected elsewhere on the property. The overall impression is of water, rock and a rich greeness of the lawn and trees.

Closer to the house planting is softer and the patio is a blaze of colour.

In total the garden covers four hectares and has four large water features. When the water lilies and lotus flowers are open these look particularly pretty. Bougainvilleas, agaves, pampas grass and roses are amongst the plants adding structure, colour and scent to the gardens.

If you go for one of the evening visits Daniel Malgouyres takes you personally on a tour around his garden and explains how it came about. His enthusiasm is infectious.

The Jardin de Saint Adrien has been classed as a 'Jardin Remarquable', won the Prix Bonpland in 2000, Top cinq des Parcs de France in 2003, and has been nominated Iris du Tourisme in 2003 and 2004.

Daniel has created a sort of natural ampitheater in one part of the garden where twice a year he and his wife host various musical and theatrical productions. It is a fabulous setting for them.

The Jardin de Saint Adrien garden guide

The garden is open from the end of March to the begining of November. Plus from June to the end of September you can turn up at 5 o'clock on Wednesdays and Fridays for a guided visit. Daniel Malgouyres is a wonderful host and I thoroughly recommend the guided visit.

Days and times of opening vary by season.

Entrance costs 6 euros for adults and 3 euros for 4 to 12 year olds.

Address: Le Jardin de Saint Adrien, 34290 Servian, Herault (A75 exit 62 onto D18E4).

Gardens to visit nearby

The Jardin des Sambucs in the Cevennes National Park is a very natural garden with lots of native plants, bushes and trees. It also has a restaurant featuring vegetables grown in the garden.

You can find more local travel ideas in the South West France guide,