Parc Floral de la Source

A place to admire, to dream, to inspire… Created in 1964 on the 35 hectares covered by the park at Château La Source, South of Orléans, Parc Floral de La Source was, in 1967, the site for the Orléans international flower show, attracting 2,300,000 visitors over 6 months. Since 1994, the “park” has been going through a revival. New presentations have been introduced, with the contribution of architects, landscape architects, botanists, nurserymen and scientists: the “Grande Volière”, the “Serre aux Papillons Exotiques”, the “Jardin d’Iris”, the “Jardin de la Source”, the “Potager Extraordinaire”, thousands of bulbs in banks in the underwood, the “Roseraie du Miroir”. Relying on its rich own resources, the botanical collection boasting “a hundred and one” different tree species, the park treats visitors to an educational, fun and beauty-loving itinerary through nature by displaying a nicely paced succession of enchanting pictures. The “Tableau d’Iris” (irises, from mid-may to early June) is designed to emphasize the remarkable collection of 900 iris varieties, listed since 1996 as Collection Nationale Végétale Spécialisée. The outstanding range of flowerings is brought out in a colour-led presentation. The “Grande Volière” (the great birdhouse) is located on the park’s main axis and hosts parrots and other bird species. Its architecture is innovative, with two reclining masts holding a metallic net. The “Serre aux Papillons” (butterfly greenhouse, from April to October) is a tropical garden hosting hundreds of exotic butterflies from all over the world (Madagascar, Philippines, Indonesia…). The species in this living collection are constantly renewed. The “Jardin de La Source” with great fern clumps punctuated with rhododendrons bordering the path leading to the discovery of the source of the Loiret River. The undergrowth vegetation and water rivulets running on paving stones suggest the presence of the source close by. Unique in France with the one of Vaucluse, a karstic resurgence of the River Loire, the source of the Loiret River is the main attraction of the Parc Floral. Visitors can also stroll in nature through the undergrowth of the Plateau de Sologne, under the shade of immense trees, listening to 96 bird species roaming in the area. Gardens of dahlias, perennials, fuchsias and a kitchen garden complete the walk around this fascinating estate. Listed national collections of irises and clematis.