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Paradisia Alpine Botanical Garden

An alpine botanical garden at 1,700 meters in Valnontey, with more than a thousand mountain species.

  • Cogne
  • Garden
Plan your visit
Where
Cogne
Best for
1
Allow
1 hr 15 min
Best time
Mid-June to mid-July for peak flowering
Tickets
From €5
Checked September 2026

Paradisia grows in Valnontey, a side valley of Cogne at 1,700 meters, inside the Gran Paradiso National Park. Founded in 1955 as the park’s alpine garden, it recreates natural mountain habitats across about 10,000 square meters and holds more than a thousand species, with rockeries, a lichen exhibit, a butterfly garden and a bed of medicinal plants.

The Gran Paradiso massif frames the beds, and flowering peaks from mid-June to mid-July, when the rockeries turn into the Alps in miniature. It is a short, easy visit that pairs well with a walk further up the valley.

Five things worth finding

If you see nothing else, see these.

  1. The reconstructed peatland

    Mosses, sedges and butterwort, a carnivorous plant, in a small wetland rebuilt to mimic a mountain bog.In the lower part of the garden

  2. The moraine and scree beds

    Alpine species that live on loose stones, such as Androsace alpina and Saxifraga biflora, at their best in midsummer.In the rockeries

  3. The lichen boulders

    Lichens colonize the boulders by themselves, thanks to very clean mountain air.Among the large stones in the garden

  4. The butterfly garden

    A route about butterflies as pollinators of mountain flowers.A dedicated path in the garden

  5. The medicinal plants

    Panels explain the herbs used in the park’s valleys for medicine, cosmetics, liqueurs and cooking.A bed with explanatory panels

Plan your visit

Everything you need before you go.

Tickets
From €5
Booking
No booking needed
Time needed
1 hr 15 min
Best time
Mid-June to mid-July for peak flowering
Getting there
In Valnontey, a hamlet up the valley from Cogne. Reach it on foot or by car from Cogne, which is in turn reached by road from Aosta; there is parking in Valnontey.

Free for under-18s, university students, visitors with disabilities and a companion, and park residents. Guided tours at fixed times are included in the ticket. The garden is open in summer only. Last updated September 2026. Prices change, so check the official site before you go.

Join a guided tour, included in the ticket: it is what turns the labels into a story. Bring a sweater, since 1,700 meters is cooler than Cogne in the shade.

Official website
Get directionsGoogle MapsApple Maps

Good to know

How long should you spend at Paradisia?

About an hour and a quarter. It is a compact garden, so the time goes into reading the plant labels and looking up at the Gran Paradiso behind the beds.

When is the best time to visit Paradisia?

From mid-June to mid-July, when the rockeries turn into the Alps in miniature. Outside that window you still see the structure and the views, but fewer flowers.

Is Paradisia good for kids?

Yes, it is short and easy, and the butterfly path and the lichen-covered boulders give children something specific to look for. It also pairs well with a walk further up the valley.

More to see nearby

Same city first, then the nearest across the region.

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