The botanist Gustave Thuret bought this four-hectare plot on Cap d'Antibes in 1857 to experiment with plants from around the world — eucalyptus from Australia, palms from the Canaries, cypresses from California. He kept records of what survived the Mediterranean winters, and the resulting catalogue helped reshape ornamental planting along the entire coast.
The garden today is run by the INRAE research institute. About 1,500 species grow here, some of them the original 19th-century specimens grown into enormous old trees. Entry is free; the garden is open weekdays only and closes for a long lunch. It is a quiet alternative to the busier seaside walk on Cap d'Antibes.