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Last Updated: 12 February 2019

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The castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye is bordered by beautiful gardens. The domain extends to the forest and the Terrace of Le Nôtre which overlooks the West suburbs of Paris. The gardens of Saint-Germain-en-Laye are one of the must-see sites in that part of the Paris region.


The Gardens of the Castle

Gardens of the Castle, Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments
Gardens of the Castle, Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments

The gardens of the castle were entirely redesigned by Le Nôtre between 1662 and 1674. The French landscape architect created the Boulingrin (Bowlingreen), the Grand Parterre (the Great Flowerbed), and the Jardins de la Dauphine (The Dauphine’ s Gardens).

Map of Saint-Germain-en-Laye Castle and Gardens by French Moments
Map of Saint-Germain-en-Laye Castle and Gardens by French Moments

Two principal alleys were laid out in the park and in the forest.

One is the prolongation of the Grand Parterre on the northern façade of the Château-Vieux, now the Avenue des Loges:

Roof of Saint-Germain-en-Laye Castle 29 copyright French Moments
The gardens of Saint-Germain-en-Laye castle and the Avenue des Loges in the distance © French Moments

The other alley is the Grand Terrace which marks the border of the domain for 2.4 km while opening it onto the panoramic view of the Seine valley:

The Great Flowerbed was partly stripped off when the railway between Paris and Saint-Germain was built. This was compensated by the creation of an English garden by order of Louis-Philippe. When the station was put underground at the beginning of the 1970s, the Grand Parterre was partially restored.

Terrace of Le Notre in Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments
Terrace of Le Notre in Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments

One of the gardens’ main features is the monumental terrace of Le Nôtre bordering the forest and overlooking the valley of the Seine River. It offers a panoramic view of the western suburbs of Paris (La DéfenseMontmartre, the Eiffel Tower).

In June and July the bandstand of the park holds concerts on Sundays at 3.30pm.

The gardens of the castle are open everyday from 8am to 9.30pm in Summer and from 8am to 5pm in Winter. The opening hours are posted on the entrance gates.

Statue de l'Amour et la Folie, Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments
Statue de l’Amour et la Folie, Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments

The formal Garden

Photos taken on my visits to the formal garden of the castle (jardin à la française) :


The English Garden

English Garden, Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments
English Garden, Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments
English Garden of Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments
English Garden, Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments

On the grounds of the English Garden is found the War Memorial of Saint-Germain-en-Laye:

War Memorial in the gardens of Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments
War Memorial in the gardens of Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments

Useful Links about Saint-Germain-en-Laye

The Castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments
The Castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments

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Discover Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments


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About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

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Transparency: Some blog posts and pages may contain affiliate or sponsored links. If you are planning a trip, the use of these links helps us to run the site. There is no additional cost to you. All you have to do is click on the link and any booking you make is automatically tracked. Thank you for your support!

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