The famous little Var port of Saint-Tropez hides a truly atypical place – the "House of Butterflies". Based in an authentic Saint-Tropez house, the museum shelters a unique collection, a fabulous selection of diurnal butterfly species from France and elsewhere. These divinely beautiful butterflies, with their light, diaphanous grace will give wings to nature lovers and budding scientists!
"The butterfly effect" in the heart of Saint-Tropez
At the bottom of a typical Saint-Tropez alley you'll find a pretty Provençal house. Its door opens onto an incredible collection of nearly 35,000 butterflies from around the world presented in an original and artistic way. As we enter this cabinet of curiosities with its intimate atmosphere, we discover these beautiful insects in landscaped settings, on seagrass, or displayed with an original approach to their environment. The House of Butterflies was transformed into an in-house museum by the photographer JH Lartigue and given to the city by his son, Dany, a famous painter and a passionate entomologist since childhood; many people have met him, net in hand, in the hills of the Massif des Maures. This former family home is a unique and unusual place. It's home to a rich and magical collection of butterflies from all over the world, each with wings more colourful than the last.
A colourful universe
A visit to the Butterfly House begins with the exotic butterfly hall where species from around the world are gathered. Endangered species are now protected, and you'll discover varieties that are little known to the public. Some very rare butterflies from the Amazon find themselves in several remarkably staged paintings – an optical illusion, their beautiful iridescent blue colour changes according to the viewing angle and the light. The first floor is dedicated to European butterflies including rare specimens like the Mercantour Black Apollo.