A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN (Roscoff Tropical Gardens ( Roscoff, Brittany))

Member Name: thingywhatsit

Product:	Roscoff Tropical Gardens ( Roscoff, Brittany)
Date:	12/10/06 (230 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A rest from busy voyaging.

Disadvantages: Not many know about it.

Roscoff is a ferry port on the Northern Coast of Brittany, which many English people visit on their way to destinations all over France. So many times, I have seen people sitting waiting for ferries in the ferry port for up to four or five hours because they wanted to get to the ferry in time and did not realise the close proximity of the gardens, which are indeed a refreshing break in a journey, and time to take in the atmosphere and relax. I have also seen British people come over for day trips and not be aware of what Roscoff has to offer.

What they don't get to see is what I want to tell you about as it may enhance a persons view of what is otherwise a small town with a port. It is the tropical gardens that were established some years back, within a walk of the ferry port itself for the energetic, or within a two minute car or taxi ride from the port itself.

This little piece of God's earth is full of surprises, and actually gets milder weather than inland Brittany, allowing it to harbour so many wondrous plants from the tropics, but it is more than that. Approaching the gardens, the parking area is not that impressive, and I believe the entrance way to be dull, though once you have paid your minor fee of 4.00 Euros (individual prices) for entry, the pathways take you on a journey of discovery. Parking is free although limited in space, giving shaded parking.

Tariffs for the gardens are reasonable, and parties are catered for at special excursion prices for more than 15 people. (working out at 3.5 Euros per head).

- Closed in December, January and February.
- Open on April, May, June, September and October from 10:00am to 12:30am and from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.
- Open in July and August from 10:00am to 7:00pm.
- Open in November and March from 2:00pm to 5:00pm.


The little booth at the entrance sells the standard tourist things like postcards and cool drinks, and I would advise visitors to take a packed lunch or even a coolbox, to fully enjoy these gardens that look out to the sea. Taken on pathways through different areas of vegetation, the variety of plants and the astonishment of colour and splendour is well worth the trip and indeed the fee you paid to visit. There are currently more than 300 species of plants and the diversity of presentation and foilage and bloom is astonishingly surprising. I like to look at the origins of plants and noticed that the collection is from natural habitats as far away as Australia and South Africa, although the plants have taken to their climate in these gardens very well and the care put into the layout of the place is amazing.

What I like about the park is its informity. There are seating areas where you can picnic, and places that suit both the energetic and less energetic traveller, although the paths are not really suited to disabled visitors which is a great shame. The mixture of rocks and plants is like taking a trip into another land, and I am always astounded at the brightness of tropical plants that greets me, especially in the Summer months. Succulants and orchids grow side by side in this micro climate that seems ideal for the growth and nurture of tropical species.

There is a small pond area with terrapins and this is an area particularly popular with the children, whilst high above a small cove looking out to sea is the climax of the visit, a high lookout above the palm trees and plants, where the visitor can take a look to the right across the shoreline of Northern Brittany, and to the left out towards the ferry port itself.

Why I am writing this review is because I believe that many little ports like Roscoff miss out on tourists simply because they are a point where people simply pass through. The gardens are beautiful, and reasonably cheap, and can make the difference between a trip to France, and a trip where people actually enjoyed the ambiance of what the gardens offer, instead of just visiting supermarkets or sitting waiting in a ferry port. Making the most of your hours of waiting in Roscoff can open your eyes to a wondrous place that I know well and love.


If you visit Roscoff, take advantage and visit. It costs less than the price of two cups of coffee in the Roscoff ferryport, and offers the traveller a rest between their voyage in France, and their departing ferry for England.

Rachel

PS The picture provided by Dooyoo is the formal garden of a chateau nearby and is unlike the gardens at Roscoff.

Summary: Worth stopping to enjoy.