Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Easier to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Light strategy
More strategic control
How it plays
How does it play?
Bid for flower tiles, grow a flourishing garden, and send colorful butterflies toward the blossoms holding the sweetest nectar.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Area Majority
Compete to have the strongest presence in areas that award control or points.
Tile Placement
Place tiles to build a shared or personal spatial arrangement.
Open Drafting
Select cards or items from a shared face-up display.
Auction / Bidding
Bid against other players to determine who receives an item, action, or priority.
Turn Order: Auction
Determine or change the order in which players take their turns.
Read the full game description
Papillon is a garden-building game of auctions, tile placement, and area influence. Across eight rounds, players bid for flower tiles, add them to personal garden tableaux, and use the developing beds to place butterflies on shared three-dimensional flowers. Each blossom offers nectar, but the value depends on which colors control it when scoring arrives. Draft order and spatial planning are tightly connected: a tile can complete a valuable patch, improve access to a flower, or deny a rival the piece their garden needs. Friendly presentation and striking components frame a thoughtful contest for the richest butterfly habitat.
