Saint Martin cave gardens reopen to public

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Located at the lower end of the Saint Martin Gardens on the Rocher, this natural space has been closed to the public since 1985. Following restoration work carried out by the Department of Urban Amenities, it will be reopened from Saturday 30 July 2016. 

“This work has involved resurfacing all of the paths with a red coating and repaving the steps with bricks. Railings have been installed to make the area safe for public access, particularly the lower area which overlooks the sea,” explained Jean-Luc Puyo, Director of Urban Amenities. 

“As for plants, invasive species have been removed while heritage ones have been preserved, and some Mediterranean plants added,” noted Georges Restellini, who manages the Gardens Section within the Department of Urban Amenities. 

In partnership with the Department of the Environment, the seismograph station located in Saint Martin cave has also been modernised. 

From this spot, visitors can discover Monaco’s native flora and fauna, including peregrine falcons, European shags, Mediterranean house geckos and bats. 

New boards will be installed shortly, providing information about plants, animals, seismographic measurements and the research which has been conducted in the cave, which was first explored in the eighteenth century.