Pere Delavay's botanical Garden
Small but invaluable. In a few square metres, in the natural setting of the Lac des Écoles, the Delavay Garden gathers a treasure certified by the Conservatoire des Collections Végétales Spécialisées. These plants and shrubs were discovered 150 years ago by Father Jean-Marie Delavay in the mountains of Yunnan in China. Between 1867 and 1895, the botanist recorded hundreds of thousands of specimens. 200,000 were sent to the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. To understand the extent of his work, one must understand the conditions under which he studied: endless journeys plagued by pirates, samples collected during long, solitary expeditions and heavy crates of plants shipped to the other side of the world. The missionary's contribution to the conservation of living heritage is invaluable. How can one imagine that this familiar yellow peony comes from China, from a seed collected 150 years ago by a priest in Les Gets? Strolling through the Delavay Garden is a journey through time and space, an initiatory and educational walk for young and old. Budding botanists will discover the Thalictrum delavayi and its mauve bells, the Betula delavayi of the birch family or the Prunus serrula, a pretty flowering cherry tree. The name 'delavayi' is a just reward for the colossal work of this passionate missionary, to the core.
During the summer season, a trip on a small train is organised every week on the life of Father Delavay. Herbariums, maps, treasure hunts and other documents about the garden and its plants are available at the reception of "Les Gets Tourisme".
