Have you heard of Rendez-vous aux Jardins, the event that invites groups of friends and families to the parks and gardens of the Ile-de-France region? They're back for another edition, on June 1 and 2, 2024, to help you discover the most beautiful green spaces in the Ile-de-France region, in the heart of towns or castles! With guided or unusual tours, gourmet breaks and events of all kinds, come and discover a passion for nature!
A park emblematic of Anglo-Chinese gardens, the Domaine Départemental de Méréville was part of the boom in picturesque gardens at the end of the Age of Enlightenment. It reveals the new aesthetic that was sweeping Europe at the time, marking a break with the regular gardens created by English landscape gardener Thomas Blaikie for the Duke of Harcourt.
From the river, to the fabriques, to the riprap, this exceptional garden tells the story of man's relationship with sublime nature. The estate is also famous for its Chinese pavilion, listed as a historic monument in 1946. The estate went through a period of decline, damaged after the French Revolution, but was restored during the 20th century.
Still in operation, the hydraulic system designed in the 18th century to power the great cascade is activated to offer us the spectacle of a visual and aural scene. We can then relive the emotions of visitors of the time, who considered the great cascade a place "full of beauty and horror" and dreaded the crash of its "bubbling waters"...
Animation subject to favorable weather conditions
In partnership with the Syndicat de la rivière La Juine et de ses affluents
Emblematic of the so-called Picturesque or Anglo-Chinese gardens, the park at Méréville was conceived at the end of the 18th century. As early as 1784, the Marquis de Laborde, owner of the site and a committed sponsor, surrounded himself with the most fashionable artists to design his gardens. Architect François-Joseph Bélanger remodeled the site's landscape, and was succeeded by painter Hubert Robert, who perfected the initial project by creating "tableaux naturels" aimed at recreating an idealized nature. Over a 10-year period, up to 400 workers were employed on this colossal project. The overall composition of the site and many of its founding elements (river, bridges and islands, grottoes and riprap, etc.) have survived the passage of time, making the Méréville estate one of the few surviving examples of this type of garden.
Owned by the Conseil Départemental de l'Essonne since 2000, the Domaine de Méréville has undergone several restoration campaigns. It has been open to the public since 2018.
https://youtu.be/G_uGOi5GV-w
Discover one of the last surviving examples of a picturesque garden in Europe, where nature, sublimated by the hand of man, reigns supreme. Meet the Marquis de Laborde, the wealthy patron, François-Joseph Bélanger, the architect who transformed the park's physiognomy, and Hubert Robert, the painter who modeled nature as one paints a picture.
In partnership with the Communauté d'Agglomération de l'Étampois Sud-Essonne
Have you ever noticed how landscapes change not only with the seasons, but also throughout the day? On this unusual and poetic tour, you'll stroll through the Parc de Méréville in the glow of the last rays of sunlight, which tint the buildings, vegetation and riprap in warm colors, lending them an air of mystery...
In partnership with the Communauté d'Agglomération de l'Étampois Sud-Essonne.
Since 2019, beehives have overlooked the estate's vegetable garden. Meet the estate's beekeeper during the Rendez-vous aux jardins. You'll be able to taste his honey-based products and learn about the life of bees in his educational beehive.
Birdsong has inspired composers since the dawn of time. But is bird song imitable, and are we capable of competing with birds?
This program will feature the bird as a source of inspiration: revisit the 18th century, when nature was rediscovered, through the cuckoo, easy to imitate, the poetic nightingale, who sings of love like no one else, or more everyday birds, such as the hen, often humorously sketched.
La Rêveuse is an ensemble of solo musicians working on the artistic heritage of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Dates and Opening Time
From June 1, 2024 to June 2, 2024
Location
Domaine de Méréville
Domaine départemental de Méréville
91660 Mereville
Prices
Free
Official website
rendezvousauxjardins.culture.gouv.fr
