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L’histoire des jardins de Caen by Jean-Marc DUPUIS – Château de Bénouville
The history of the gardens of Caen
The history of gardens tells the story of the relationship between plant life and towns. In the Middle Ages, Caen was a walled city, the surrounding meadows of which touched the very foot of its ramparts. The gardens inside the town were also enclosed and most often for the purposes of nourishment: those of the abbeys, private manors and religious congregations. Then the town began to spread via the creation of alleys, planted squares and formal gardens. The ramparts were destroyed and thoroughfares opened. Science was developed at the Botanic Gardens. The industrial revolution and major urban redevelopment offered pride of place to plant life in Caen’s 19th century and early 20th century configuration. With the post-war reconstruction, a brand-new urban plan was designed, offering added space for planted areas: wide streets with trees, public parks and natural areas within the town.
Jean-Marc Dupuis
Jean-Marc Dupuis was a Caen University professor up to 2005, where he taught economics. His research covers social protection, economics and health, and retirement systems. He has published several works for use by students on the above themes.
An emeritus professor as from 2006, he conducted work on retirement systems in Northwest Africa, with a French-Northwest African team.
Since 2012, he has concentrated on the history of Caen over a long period, covering specific fields and activities: mills, hospitals, gardens.
Further reading :
Histoire des jardins de Caen au Moyen Age, Cahiers du temps, 2020