THE RACINE DE MONVILLE HOME PAGE

CONTACT

HOW TO VISIT THE DESERT DE RETZ

The Desert de Retz was reopend to the public on June 13, 2009. Guided tours of the Désert de Retz are conducted on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month from May to October and are by appointment only. Call +33(0)1 39 22 31 37 or contact the Chambourcy town hall for reservations.

Mairie de Chambourcy Hotel de Ville Place Charles de Gaulle 78240 Chambourcy Mairie de Chambourcy

You can contribute to the restoration and preservation of the Desert de Retz by joining Le Désert de Retz Jardin des Lumièes, a non-profit association founded in 2009. Download a Membership Application or contact the association's President, .

---

Scholars or researchers may also wish to contact the previous owners of the Desert de Retz, Jean-Marc Heftler-Louiche and Olivier Choppin de Janvry, or Pierre-Emile Renard, president of Histoire de Chambourcy de Retz et d'Aigrement (HISCREA).

Mr. Jean-Marc Heftler-Louiche 14, rue Saint-Guillaume 75007 Paris, France

Mr. Olivier Choppin de Janvry 6Bis, Grande Rue 78290 Croissy-sur-Seine, France

Histoire de Chambourcy de Retz et d'Aigrement (HISCREA) 30, rue de Gramont 78240 Chambourcy, France Tel/fax: 01 30 74 47 51 President: Mr. Pierre-Emile Renard 4, rue Georges Thill, 78240 Chambourcy

In addition to the Desert de Retz, you can visit the other folly gardens in and near Paris that are described in the table below. For additional information on these and other gardens in the Paris region, consult Les Jardins des Lumieres en Ile-de-France, by Dominique Césari, available at bookstores in France and through Amazon.fr and FNAC.

Garden	Location	Description	Links
Ermenonville	Ermenonville 45 kilometers northeast of Paris Train, car.	Owned and designed by Marquess René de Girardin, influenced by Jean-Marie Morel and Hubert Robert. The Parc Philosophique was inspired by the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Numerous structures are visible including the Tombeau de Roussseau, a Philosphers's Cabin and an altar dedicated to "La Reverie."	1. Chateau d'Ermenonville 2. Ermenonville in the Wikipedia
Parc de Jeurre	Morigny-Champigny 60 kilometers south-southwest of Paris Car	The park contains four structures created by Hubert Robert that were originally in the jarden at Méréville11	1. Parc de Jeurre 2. Jeurre in the Wikipedia
Parc Monceau	Paris, 8th Arrondissement Métro Monceau	Built by Louis Phillippe d'Orléans, Duke of Chartres, designed by Louis Carrogis Carmontelle and Thomas Blaikie. The parc contains five 18th century structures: the rotunda--designed by Ledoux, the naumachie, a pyramid, three tombs and columns from the Temple of Mars,	Parc Monceau in the Wikipedia
Bagatelle	Paris, Bois de Boulogne 16th Arrondissement Bus or car	Built by the Count d'Artois, brother of Louis XIV, Destigned by Béllanger and Thomas Balikie. The grounds contain numerous 18th century structures, most notably the Folie.	1. Bagatelle 2. Bagatelle in the Wikipedia
Chantilly	Chantilly 45 kilometers north of Paris Car or train	Created by Louis-Joseph de Bourbon, Prince de Condé, in the extensive park at Chantilly, the 18th century garden consists of two parts, the Hameau and the Jardin Anglo-chinois. In the Hameau--an inspiration for Marie Antoinette's Queen's Hamlet at Trianon--five structures, including a billiard room, a dining room and a mill, have survived. In addition, an English Garden, created in 1820, contains a number of structures including a Temple of Venus. Also worthy of a visit is the château, rebuilt in 1875-81, housing the the exceptional collections of the Musée Condé.	1. Château de Chantilly 2. Château de Chantilly in the Wikipedia
Hameau de la Reine--Marie Antoinette's Estate, Trianon	Versailles 22 kilometers southwest of Paris Train or car	After visiting the Desert de Retz and Chantilly, Marie Antoinette decided to create her own folly garden in the form of a miniature farm on the grounds of the Petit Trianon. The Queen's Hamlet--the Hameau de la Reine--was renamed Marie Antoinette's Estate in 2006. The park contains numerous copies of Norman farm buildings, including a dairy and a dovecote, along with a Temple of Love and a delightful Belvedere, both created by Richard Mique.	1. The Queen's Hamlet 2. The Queen's Hamlet-Official Site
Chateau de Groussay	Montfort l'Aumaury 45 kilometers west-southwest of Paris Train or car	A fantastic example of a 20th-century folly garden. Owned by the late esthete Charles de Beistegui and designed by Emelio Terry. The garden contains 14 structures including a Chinese pagoda, a pyramid, a Palladian bridge and even a Tartar Tente. There can be no doubt whatsoever that this garden was directly influenced by the Desert de Retz.	1. Chateau de Groussay-Panoramas 2. Chateau de Groussay: Official Site 3. Article from International Herald Tribune

The Racine de Monville Home Page is written, designed and maintained by Ronald W. Kenyon. The webmaster welcomes your discussion, comments, suggestions and questions. Email: Ronald W. Kenyon.