One of the capital’s greenest spaces is set to open once more, with the French embassy preparing to open its doors to the public on Saturday, October 4.
The opportunity to discover, or rediscover, the embassy’s historic buildings, as well as its vast park of nearly 5 hectares, a true green lung in the heart of Phnom Penh, is in honour of
Heritage Day (Journée du patrimoine), explained a September 17 embassy statement.
“The park is home to an ecosystem of remarkable biodiversity: around 200 trees representing more than 50 different species, along with over 250 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects, which were recently the subject of a detailed inventory. The initiatives undertaken to protect the park’s wildlife are part of France’s broader commitment to environmental protection and biodiversity,” it noted.
One of the most moving places in the lush park is a place of remembrance, which features a former embassy gate which stood during the fall of Phnom Penh in April 1975.
The statement explained that the grounds – which welcomed more than 7,500 visitors in 2024 – will be open from 8am to 4pm. No prior registration is necessary, but a large turnout is expected.
It explained that Heritage day was launched in France in 1984, but is now celebrated in more than 50 countries worldwide. It offers the public the exceptional opportunity to access sites that are usually closed to visitors.
The embassy grounds will once again be open to visitors in just a few weeks, on November 22, for le Marché Français (the French Market).
