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TheParc Floral de la Source is a French garden situated to the south of theRiver Loire, in theLa Sourceneighbourhood of the town ofOrléans, in thedépartement ofLoiret. With more than 150,000 visitors in 2007, it is the most visited site in Loiret.[1]
The source of theLoiret river is at the centre of the park.
The park has been awarded the status ofJardin remarquable by theFrench Ministry of Culture and the national council of parks and gardens.[2]
The Parc Floral de la Source extends over 35 ha (86.5acres).[3] It uses the natural contours of the site and consists of open spaces where the flora, fauna and minerals are juxtaposed.
Its unique geographical position, between the wooded region ofSologne and the plains of theLoire Valley, gives it a particular relief.
At its centre, after an underground course of several miles, is theBouillon: theresurgence of theLoiret river.
With the passing seasons, successive flowering continually renews the appearance of the grounds.
In 510, the land was ceded to the monks of theAbbey Saint-Mesmin de Micy byClovis. From 1427, it belonged successively to various lords and noble families.
The first great gardening work, in the formal style ofFrench gardens, dates from the beginning of the 18th century. During the 1720s, an ice-house, a library gallery, bas-reliefs and a terrace were incorporated into the garden.
In 1959, the city of Orléans and thedépartement acquired the 410 hectares of the estate; 35 hectares were reserved to create the park, the rest being used to create the quarter of La Source as a site for theUniversity of Orléans.
The garden opened in 1964 as a recreational park as well as a showcase for the horticultural department.
The Parc Floral consists of two main parts: theplateau de Sologne and theplaine duVal de Loire.
The plateau is covered by a semi-natural forest ofhornbeams andoaks. It is joined to the plain by a hillside which corresponds to a former fluvial terrace of the Loire. Located on the plateau are animal enclosures for a variety of species, includingalpaca andOuessant sheep.
The plain of the Loire valley is given over to floral and horticultural works. It includes theiris garden, the Miroir rose garden, the valley of perennials, the garden of the Source, the exoticbutterfly glasshouse, the kitchen garden and thedahlia garden. Aviaries exhibit birds from several continents. This area also includes the source of Loiret.
The park has several gardens including collections offerns andrhododendrons, a rose garden, tropical gardens, rockery and flowering grasses.
The iris garden collection includes about 900 varieties, classified since 1996 as a specialist national collection.[4]
A children's playground is available and a "train" tours the site.
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In 1967, theFloralies internationales d'Orléans attracted 2,300,000 visitors in six months. The global budget was more than one million francs.[5] From April to October 1967, Orléans became the world capital of horticulture: 330 exhibitors, 700 producers from 11 countries, 13,000 m² of glasshouses specially constructed to house successive exhibitions on 35 hectares. Apart from horticulture, theFloralies included several attractions including a reconstruction of a Gaulois village, thus destroying an ancient temple.
Other exhibitions : in 1996,voyage en chrysanthèmes andla ronde des fougères; in 1998,la fête de l'iris; in 1999,jardins du monde (30th salon of the chrysanthemum) and theinternational salon of the dahlia and fruits of autumn; in 2000,200,000 bulbs in flower; in 2001,le parc de tous les enchantements etle monde des nains-ventés; in 2003,chrysanthèmes recup’art; in 2006,festival of exotic birds andorchids;[6] in 2007, le festival de l'iris.[7]
The park can be reached from theA71 motorway (exit 2); via theRoute nationale 20; by train (nearest stations Aubrais or Orléans); by line A of the Orléans tramway or line 20 of the Semtao bus network. Lines 3, 5, 7 and 8 of theUlys bus network serve Orléans-la-Source.
Admission to the park costs 6 € for an adult, 4 € for a child between 6 and 16 years, free for those under 6. Ticket office close an hour before the close of the park. Season tickets and group rates are available.
Opening times vary with the seasons. In 2009:
The park is closed on 1 January and 25 December.[8]
Based on the article in French Wikipedia,Parc Floral de la Saource