Itchy Feet - Welcome!: June 2012

Date: June 5, 2012

What to do on an overcast June day with a guest who has been to Paris (and to all it's must-see sights) many times? Hoping that it will not rain, we head to Parc De Bagatelle, one of Paris' botanical gardens, home to a world-famous rose garden ("roseraie"). A friend has just confirmed that the roses are in full bloom, an excellent time to visit.

This park is a bit off the beaten track, not because it is not interesting (all who have been are raving about it), but because of its inconvenient location. It is located in the Bois de Boulogne, a huge forested area (at 846 hectares more than twice the size of Central Park) also referred to as the "lungs" of Paris. The park is not served well by public transportation, so we are taking a taxi there.

Though their website says that there is a 5 Euro fee to enter Parc De Bagatelle , we go in for free, I am not sure why. We head straight to the most famous feature of the park, the magnificent rose garden. It was created by Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier, the Commissioner of Gardens for Paris. Today it has about 10,000 roses of 1,200 varieties, and hosts an annual international competition for new roses.

I heard wonderful things about the rose garden, but its beauty exceeds all my expectations. It is magical. With it's exuberant collection of colors it is as if we have just entered into Fairyland.

The place is absolutely breathtaking. All plants are labeled (some of them have quite funny names!) and the labels even identify the ones with the best scent. We are here in the morning and the scents are absolutely fantastic (by the time we return later in the afternoon they will be less strong). This is absolutely the place to stop and smell the roses. And to take lots and lots of pictures, which, for the obvious reason, will dominate over written word in this post.

Parc De Bagatelle rose garden

We find it difficult to pull ourselves away from the rose garden, but we set out anyway to explore the rest of the park. We pass a lovely little meadow, full of wild flowers (yes, the ones which we tend to kill out with weedkillers in our gardens). There is a peacock posing among the flowers, what a wonderful photo opportunity. Unfortunately my camera's battery decides to die at this very moment...oh, no!!! Well, I can't really blame the camera, can I? I am the one who didn't charge it. I am saved by the camera of my iPhone, so you will have to forgive me for the lower quality of pictures in the rest of this post.

Parc De Bagatelle - wildflowers and peacock (taken with classic camera)

Parc De Bagatelle - wildflowers and peacock (taken with phone camera)

We walk up a small hill, and sit on a bench on the top for a while, chatting and admiring the view over the tree tops. Then we wonder around a bit, trying to find ponds and waterfalls we have seen on the map. The park is not too big, but it has so many little hidden corners and winding pathways that it gets confusing at times. The call of peacocks follows us everywhere we go.

Pond at Parc De Bagatelle

Poppies in Parc De Bagatelle

Another beautiful patch of wildflowers, then we come across a little sandwich stand. It's lunchtime and we have a great idea. We buy our (very tasty and fresh) lunch here, then find a bench at the section of the park called "country roses". The park also has a formal restaurant called Les Jardins de Bagatelle, but why would we want to eat there when we can have lunch with this amazing view?

Roses at Parc De Bagatelle

After lunch with continue exploring the park. We see plenty more peacocks of course, one of them sitting high up in a tree.

Peacock high up in a tree, Parc De Bagatelle

We make our way to the water lily pond. I have read somewhere that Forestier was a friend of Monet's, and that he was inspired by the impressionists. Nowhere is this fact more visible than at this pond. It looks like it's straight off a Monet painting. Adding to the beauty of the place is the graceful swan, and we are greatly amused by the tiny ducklings wobbling around on the water lily pads.

Water lily pond, Parc De Bagatelle

Can you see the duckling? Water lily pond, Parc De Bagatelle

After stepping in duck poo and meeting yet another peacock (how many are there in this park?) we reach the Chateau de Bagatelle. This building was built on the site of a modest hunting lodge in 1777, following a bet between the Comte d'Artois and his sister-in-law, the queen Marie-Antoinette. She claimed that the chateau could not be completed within three months, but she lost, as the building was finished in just 63 days (or 64, depending on which website you believe).

Front of Chateau de Bagatelle

Back of Chateau de Bagatelle

Statue at the back of Chateau de Bagatelle

Flowers by Chateau de Bagatelle

Flower by Chateau de Bagatelle

Flowers by Chateau de Bagatelle

Statue in front of Chateau de Bagatelle

We decide to head back to the rose garden, this time paying attention to the beautiful things along the way. More flowers of course, then a "potager" (kitchen garden) full of less photogenic vegetables.

Parc De Bagatelle

We stop to admire the citrus trees by the 19th century Orangerie, winter home of, among other plants, orange, grapefruit and tangerine trees.

Orangerie, Parc De Bagatelle

Accidentally we find ourselves in the lovely iris garden, which, like the rose garden, was created by Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier at the beginning of the 20th century. It looks like it's past the iris season already, but the ones which are still flowering are absolutely beautiful.