Version française
 

A Renaissance watergarden

French landscaping begins
"Courances" mens "running waters". Please scroll down.

 

From the 16th-century park of the Château de Courances emanate gentleness and mystery.

 

Yet its straight lines, perspective and use of water herald the next century's power-evoking design.

 

 

  • A privately-owned château, where a family lives, nestles on an estate that is both poetic and classic

 

 

 

 

  • A universe that is at peace with nature

 

 

Slight gradations of terrain subtly direct 14 sources or water...
... which seem to murmur with trees, grass and ferns.
Power-driven perspectives will draw their inspiration from these quiet paths.

 

 

  • The châtelains' daughter directs the understated publicity

 

Amateur trapeze artist and detective-story writer, she is not a conventional noble. Yet her way of promoting the château reflects aristocratic abhorence for blatant  commerce. There is no snackbar, no giftshop and no advertising, aside from her own book and lectures.

     

     

    • Most of the châteaux that surrounded Paris have disappeared

     

    This one was saved and restored at the end of the 19th century, by an alliance of aristocracy and new Jewish finance – yet another example of Jewish contributions to France.

     

     

    •We bring illustrations to show how France's gardens evolved.

         

         

        • Costs: please CLICK

        º  Entry fee

        º  Déjeuner
         

         

        Photos / Château de Courances


        Unexpected Paris guided tour