The Butterfly Garden, a tropical interlude in Alsace

Updated on 2025-07-25

Big, small, red, multicolored, black, yellow... At the Jardin des Papillons in Hunawihr, you can discover almost 200 species of butterfly from Asia, Africa and America. You can wander freely among these magnificent insects, thanks to a 1,000 m2 greenhouse fitted out with small ponds and pollinating and tropical plants.

Léa

As a journalist in real life, and a blogger for pleasure, Léa has always enjoyed tracking down little-known gourmet addresses, unusual activities, off-the-beaten-track hikes and places with history and soul... And Alsace is full of them!

Summary

My summary
The Butterfly Garden, a magical and soothing experience
Find out more about butterfly species

My summary

I liked

Walking among butterflies in the wild
Discover this insect and its natural environment of origin
The outdoor garden to extend your visit

I liked less

The greenhouse is small if it’s crowded, so you get less out of it.

The Butterfly Garden, a magical and soothing experience

It’s a magical experience that will keep you busy for a good hour. You can watch the butterflies fly or feed on the pollen of the flowers and pieces of fruit left at their disposal. It’s fun to flush out those hiding in the vegetation and enjoy a very soothing interlude.

Don ‘t try to catch butterflies, they’re very fragile. But if you stand still, some may land on you! Don’t miss the hatchery, an area dedicated to chrysalises, the cocoons in which caterpillars transform into butterflies. With a bit of luck, you’ll be able to witness the hatching of a chrysalis and the flight of a young butterfly!

Find out more about butterfly species

At the Jardin des Papillons, you can learn more about the life cycle and natural habitat of butterflies with explanatory panels and videos. You’ll also find information on ants, orchids and tropical plants.

The visit ends with a well-stocked boutique. You can extend your visit by discovering a temporary exhibition and the small but very pretty garden surrounding the greenhouse. There are even picnic tables available.

The only drawback, in my opinion, is that the greenhouse is quite small when it’s busy. To get the most out of the Butterfly Garden, try to come in low season or at less busy times. And, of course, dress lightly, as the greenhouse is hot and humid. The site, created in 1988 by an entomologist with a passion for butterflies, is open from April to November.

The geographical location of Jardin des Papillons, on the Alsace wine route, is ideal for continuing the day with visits to beautiful villages such as Ribeauvillé, Bergheim or Kaysersberg. Or sites such as Naturoparc, for example.