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Malheureusement nous rencontrons des difficultés lorsque La fiche de contact est utilisée. Nous vous remercions d’utiliser notre adresse mail citée ci dessous. En vous priant de nous excuser. Bien cordialement. L’équipe du Tropique du papillon

On exiting the aviary, one hectare of pleasure awaits you

It is a pleasing contrast to the inside of the aviary.

We go from of a tropical, humid, luxuriant and dense atmosphere similar to an equatorial forest, to a Mediterranean atmosphere where plants are chosen according to the dry and hot climate of the Pyrénées Orientales. A snack bar is installed in the centre of this garden, opposite a big kikouyou flowerbed where the children can enjoy themselves doing roly polies and playing ball games.

A new space, a new stroll, new sensations just for enjoyment, time for a break!
Bamboo filters the light and gives airs of a labyrinth to the garden.
Benches and ponds give rhythm to the route and arbours provide shade to prolong the pleasure.
The scenography of the journey we propose, is elaborated with natural materials (bamboo / driftwood / stones from the dry stoned walled terraces of vineyards) emphasizing the flower beds.
This garden aims to be simple and natural so you can feel relaxed there.

Botany lovers, you are not forgotten!

The various collections of Mediterranean plants (lavenders, phlomis, cistuses, sages, thymes, etc.) blossom as the seasons go by and are highlighted by numerous grasses.
For a Mediterranean gardener, the drought has become a major problem. Hot and dry summers, and violent winds are frequent.
Rather than fight against this established fact, it is better to plant plants adapted to this environment.
The garden of the Tropique du Papillon was designed this way: all the plants present are of Mediterranean origin making it possible to garden in a way which respects these conditions and saves water, a precious resource in our region.

Gradually, new parts of this garden open to the public. This is the case for the 2016 season. The ground, originally bare, has been modelled and planted since 2009. Still in its early stages, the flowerbeds fill out year by year. The construction of a big pond is in progress which will be surrounded by flowery meadows to allow our dear nectar gatherers to work and exist.

The Tropical Garden

The tropical garden is a real biotope in which the temperature, humidity and the luminosity, are all controlled.
You will discover numerous species of rare plants: Aristolochia gigantea , Bohenia, tree ferns from Australia, a collection of passion flowers, thunbergia alata, beaumontia, murraya paniculata , lotus, musa, guava and a wide selection of subtropical plants.

A Journey into the Heart of the Rain Forest!

Apart from botanical interest or aestheticism, the choice of plants also takes into consideration the butterflies’ and the caterpillars’ food needs.
The butterflies’ main food is the nectar and pollen from flowers. So, the garden of the greenhouse is widely decorated with flowers. (Lantanas / passionfruit etc.).
Numerous host plants are present to allow the caterpillars to feed and to assure the reproduction of the butterflies.

The Idea to Create a Butterfly Aviary

The Tropique de Papillon is the fruit of several years of research. It is a private enterprise which exists without grants or any other support. The business is sustained only by the entrance fees and product sales.

Originally a nursery gardener of rare sub tropical plants, Alain Bruno set up his own business in Elne in the Pyrénées-Orientales in 1992. One of his customers ordered plantations for a butterfly breeding farm. He was seduced and he then decided to build his own aviary.
Since then, his whole family has become passionate about lepidoptera and each, in his/her turn, entered the structure, giving a family character to the way you will be received. The desire to pass on this accumulated passion and to share these moments of beauty has orientated all the installations: aviary, gardens and snack bar. The atmosphere aims to be friendly and peaceful.

Radio France Bleu Roussillon Interview. 2015

Part 1

Part 2

The great majority of the butterflies in the aviary come from butterfly breeding farms and arrive in the form of chrysalises. The farms are in Central America, South America and Asia. These farms are “fair trade”. They participate in nature conservation while also promoting fair trade. The profits allow the local communities to develop their remote regions.

It also makes them aware more than ever that the forest is a resource worth protecting.

When the chrysalises arrive (300 a week), and after they have been checked, they are delicately placed in a hatching box in which humidity and heat are minutely regulated. Situated in the middle of the greenhouse, the births take place every day and right under your eyes.

Our wish for you to discover the butterflies of our region has led us to present them and their feeder plants to you. The objective is to favour biodiversity. We explain how you can protect the butterflies of our regions. By small simple gestures you too can encourage their presence in your own garden.

Explore as a family…

Here, a courtship display circles around you; over there two butterflies mate under the leaves of a Murraya.
A butterfly beats its wings fervently to the rhythm of the aviary, in static flight in front of a flower and extracts the pollen from inside; a little farther away a butterfly unfolds its probiscus, then gathers a very ripe banana placed in the centre of a plate. All the family admires a coloured caterpillar Extend the visit in a nice Mediterranean garden.
A moment of relaxation where you can share our passion and we can show you the fascinating and hidden world of butterflies. It´s also an opportunity for us to make the public and schools aware of how useful butterflies are in nature and to inform people about the small gestures that can be made to protect them.
There is even a small cinema where an educational movie is shown… which roams along a stalk to devour the fresh leaves of a passionflower.

A Non-Stop Show

A butterfly hatches and unfolds its wings in a few minutes, eggs are delicately put under a banana tree leaf; a caterpillar metamorphoses; ocelli on the wings of the butterflies seem to watch you; a butterfly is attracted by your scent or your flowery dress and settles on you …

Every scene stops you in your tracks

Téléchargez la brochure 

Buvette et Restauration :

“Le Scarabée bar”, situé à l’entrée de la volière, à l’ombre des arbres, vous propose des petits mets salées, des crêpes sucrées bio, des glaces et sorbets artisanaux et des boissons fraîches. Vous pouvez y accéder même si vous ne visitez pas le parc. Ambiance joyeuse et colorée !

Visite guidée de groupes :

 Pour mieux partager notre expérience, nous avons mis en place des visites guidées. Connaître la vie du papillon, sa manière de manger ou ses systèmes de protection. Apprendre à les reconnaître et savoir leur importance dans l’écosystème… autant de thèmes qui seront traités par un animateur nature ou un spécialiste des lépidoptères. Accessibles aux groupes de plus de 10 personnes. Demander un devis. Sous réservation uniquement.

Visite des écoles et des centres aérés

La visite de la volière peut s’effectuer en visite libre ou en visite guidée. Quelque soit votre choix, la ou les classes sont divisées en plusieurs groupes avec un maximum de 15 enfants par groupe, de manière à profiter pleinement de la volière. La visite du jardin extérieur (~1 hectare) est ouverte à tous. Elle propose des coins ombragés, des vues sur des bassins, des tables de pique-nique. Des panneaux explicatifs sur les insectes et leurs rôles dans l’écosystème y sont installés. Un petit jeu d’exploration du jardin est à disposition.

Continue reading “Infos pratiques” →

The Magic of the Butterfly Aviary

The butterflies come from Asia and South America and are
bigger and more colourful than the butterflies of Europe. Inside the aviary time stands still as you enter into the world of the butterflies and witness very closely an incredible show: the flight of the butterfly.