- Rendez-vous de l'Institut
- Conference
Les jardins de la Côte d’Azur by Jean MUS – Château de Bénouville
The Gardens of the Côte d’Azur
The Côte d’Azur and Eastern Provence landscapes have always attracted populations from nearby regions and throughout Western Europe. As from Ancient Times, the Pheonicians, then the Greeks and the Romans settled there, bringing with them the earliest vestiges of acclimatised plants. The same magnetism towards the Côte d’Azur also charmed the greatest names in painting, writing, music and poetry, who paid regular visits. After a historic overview of the gardens of the Côte d’Azur, Jean Mus will talk in detail about the composition of these gardens of Italian, Arabic, French and British inspiration; their architecture and layout, structures and perspectives; their sensitivity, through the presence of water, perfumes, colours; their quite unique plant life, in a medley of so many local and acclimatised species; their decorative features, such as statuaries and works of art. He will, of course, also discuss future prospects for this fragile ‘paradise’ of the Côté d’Azur.
Jean Mus
Born in Grasse, Jean Mus learned the ropes with his father, head gardener at the Villa Croisset. His childhood was marked by the creative genius of the artist and landscaper Ferdinand Bac, who designed gardens like theatre sets. He continued his studies whilst relentlessly visiting the lands dear to perfumers and the grounds of prestigious properties, to open his own agency in Grasse in 1967. Since 1966, he has developed an interest in Mediterranean countries, in particular vast private gardens (in the French Mediterranean region and in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United States). He also discovered his vocation in the development of leisure sites (golf courses in France and in Greece), hotel complexes, large-scale developments, public areas and museums (Place de l’Etang in Cannes, Monaco, Saint-Tropez, Salerno). Prestigious conferences and events (England, Italy, California, Japan, Russia), restoration of historic gardens and old parks (Villa Fiorentina in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Château Ricard and museum in Marseille, vineyards and estates, etc.) are also among his activities. Inspired by the nature of the Mediterranean bassin of which he stretches the boundaries, he is heir to the great landscapers of the past century, who breathed a brand new spirit into the Côte d’Azur’s leading gardens.
Further reading :
Jean Mus, Jardins méditerranéens contemporains, Ulmer, 2016
Jardins secrets de Méditerranée, Flammarion, 2016