The Chanousia Alpine Botanical Garden ( it, Giardino Botanico Alpino Chanousia, french: Jardin alpin botanique Chanousia) (about 10,000 m²) is an alpine

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

located at 2170 meters altitude near

Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (french: Mont Blanc ; it, Monte Bianco , both meaning "white mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, rising above sea level. It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus, and ...

, at the

Little St Bernard Pass The Little St Bernard Pass (French: ''Col du Petit Saint-Bernard'', Italian: ''Colle del Piccolo San Bernardo'') is a mountain pass in the Alps on the France–Italy border. Its saddle is at 2188 metres above sea level. It is located between S ...

, and even if it's located in France, it belongs to the Italian commune of La Thuile (

Aosta Valley , Valdostan or Valdotainian it, Valdostano (man) it, Valdostana (woman)french: Valdôtain (man)french: Valdôtaine (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = Official languages , population_blank1 = Italian French ...

). It was founded by Valdostan abbot and botanist Pierre Chanoux. It is open daily in the warmer months. The garden was first established in 1897 by Abbot Pierre Chanoux, and in its best years contained about 2500

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of mountain plants from the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...

and around the world. It was badly damaged during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and restored starting in 1978. Today the garden contains about 1200 species which flourish in a short growing spell (two months) between heavy winters with snowfall ranging from 4-8 meters. Chanousia

References

Giardino Botanico Alpino Chanousia
Official site
Chanousia
Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley]
Giardino Botanico Alpino "Chanousia"
BGCI Botanical gardens in Italy Buildings and structures in Aosta Valley Gardens in Aosta Valley {{Italy-garden-stub

See also

References