Monday, August 27, 2007

The Gardens of Bagatelle


Come and join me for a walk through the "Jardins de Bagatelle"....



This is one of the two portals of the "Les Jardins de Bagatelle" in the Bois de Boulogne, a big green spot on the map of Paris. In 1777 The Comte d'Artois, brother of Luis XVI, took a bet with Marie-Antoinette: To create a Palais surrounded by a lovely gardens in the Bois de Boulogne within 10 weeks...



The Comte had accepted from the Queen, Marie Antoinette, a wager of 100,000 livres that he could not have his new building ready for a fete planned several weeks later.

On 21st September 1777, nine hundred men started the work: they worked day and night, by the light of torches and encouraged by music.Bagatelle was completed sixty-four days later on the 26th of November.


The Comte then engaged Thomas Blaikie to work on the gardens with the objective to create an 'Anglo-Chinese' garden which was at the height of fashion at that time.

http://www.rosarosam.com/gardens/bagatelle/bagatelle_index.htm



"The Druids" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druid








2 comments:

Anonymous said...

ooooh, what lovely pictures and a grand story to go along. Love the moss covered statues...thanks for letting me see something I wouldn't even otherwise know to look for!

Elizabeth said...

Absolutely gorgeous ... I want to get on a train to Paris NOW! (and Yes you will see me in Paris one of these fine days... spring maybe, if we have the money).
I didn't know this lovely spot existed even, thank you.