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Les jardins de l’Hôtel de Noailles à Saint-Germain-en-Laye au XVIIIe siècle : entre forêt et Lumières by Françoise BRISSARD and Gabriela LAMY – Château de Bénouville
The gardens of the Hôtel de Noailles in Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the 18th century: from forest to Enlightenment
Located opposite the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Louis XIV’s principal residence from 1666 to 1682, the gardens of the Hôtel de Noailles were, in the late 17th century, closely linked with two great royal pursuits: hunting and warfare. Their transformation over the 18th century was in time with changing ideals: new plots were acquired by Louis de Noailles so as to satisfy his great passion for gardens and, in particular, for botanics. Many foreign tree species were imported and planted, giving way to a garden in keeping with “new fashions”. Within their warm greenhouses, plants sent from the French ultramarine colonies thrived: Louis de Noailles offered particular support to Louis-Claude Richard (1754-1821), the young grandson of the king’s gardener at the Grand Trianon, during the latter’s travels to French Guiana from 1781 to 1789 as the king’s botanist. The inventory compiled after Louis de Noailles’ death in 1793 mentions the presence of plants of American and foreign origin in many lots, hence bearing witness to the great wealth and diversity of this plant collection.
Françoise Brissard
Françoise Brissard worked as a university lecturer at the University of Paris-Descartes. She is currently the owner of the duchess’s appartment in the Hôtel de Noailles in Saint Germain-en-Laye.
Gabriela Lamy
Gabriela Lamy works for the Trianon gardens at the Palace of Versailles, in charge of research to identify the former stakeholders, plants and decorative features of these gardens. Since 2007, she has contributed towards the research programme entitled “Plants in the Great Gardens of Europe in the Modern Era”, initiated by the Palace of Versailles research centre.
Further reading :
Une maison de plaisance au XVIIIe siècle : L’hôtel de Noailles à Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Editions ArtLys, 2016