The well-maintained gardens of the Parc de Bagatelle are located at the heart of the Bois de Boulogne, a vast woodland to the west of Paris, not far from Neuilly-sur-Seine and Suresnes. Bagatelle is well-known for its very romantic scenery and also for its exquisite rose garden.
Description and History of the Parc de Bagatelle
English garden © French Moments
Bagatelle derives from the Italian bagattella, meaning a trifle. In French, une bagatelle means something of little importance or value.
The park features a charming small palace, the château de Bagatelle. The small neoclassical chateau was initially built for the Maréchal d’Estrées in 1720. The estate was bought in 1775 by the Count of Artois (Louis XVI’s brother and future Charles X). Marie-Antoinette bet with her brother-in-law that he would build a ‘maison de plaisance’ within three months. The count commissioned from François-Joseph Bélanger the design of a neoclassical residence. It only took 63 days to complete the construction work and the Count of Artois won his bet.
Château de Bagatelle © French Moments
The formal gardens that surrounded the chateau were later expanded with a vast English-Chinese garden by Scottish garden designer Thomas Blaikie.
Many remarkable trees have been planted since the end of the 18th century: oak trees, pine trees, sequoias, cedars…
The Bagatelle park is dotted with follies such as the ruins of an abbey, numerous statues, a pagoda, little bridges, grottoes, artificial waterfalls and gloriettes.
Collections of roses, irises, perennials, clematises, peonies and other flowers are showcased in Bagatelle Park. From 1905, Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier, the Commissioner of Gardens for the City of Paris, worked on turning the park into a botanical domain, now one of Paris’ four botanical gardens.
Yellow rose © French Moments
In June of each year, the prestigious international competition for new roses (Concours international de roses nouvelles) takes place in the rose trial grounds of the Bagatelle Park. Today, the rose garden of Bagatelle displays 10,000 rose bushes from 1,200 different species.
Roses, Parc de Bagatelle © French Moments
Features of Bagatelle Park
In the English garden © French Moments
The entrances dating from 1835
The medieval-style entrance on the Route de Sèvres near Neuilly-sur-Seine.
Medieval entrance of Route de Sèvres © French Moments
The wrought-iron gates and Pavillon Louis XV leading to Allée de Longchamp.
The entrance gate towards Allée de Longchamp © French Moments
Louis XV pavillon © French Moments
The castle
The Circular Court (Cour Circulaire) and its statues near the Route de Sèvres entrance.
Statue in circular court © French Moments
The Court of honour (Cour d’Honneur) in front of the small chateau.
The château of Bagatelle © French Moments
The chateau of Bagatelle. At the top of the porch and above a ornate wrought-iron balcony, the chateau carries the Latin inscription: “Parvus sed altus” (“Small by able, sufficient for all needs”.
Detail of the Chateau de Bagatelle © French Moments
The chateau’s formal garden (Parterre du Château)
Formal garden of the chateau de Bagatelle © French Moments
The Trianon
Trianon, Parc de Bagatelle © French Moments
The Nymph Pond (Bassin aux Nymphéas)
The romantic Nymph Pond, created in 1850-1860.
Nymph Pond © French Moments
The grotto and waterfall
Grotto and waterfall © French Moments
Other features in the Anglo-Chinese garden
The Landscape rose garden (Rosiers du Paysage)
Landscape rose garden © French Moments
The Great Rock (Grand Rocher) and the artificial waterfall
Great Waterfall © French Moments
The Four Wings grotto (Grotte des quatre vents)
Four Wings Grotto © French Moments
The Black Swans’ pond (Pièce d’eau des cygnes noirs)
Black swans’ pond © French Moments
The ruins of the Longchamp Abbey
Ruins of the Longchamp Abbey © French Moments
The 19th century Chinese pagoda
Chinese pagoda © French Moments
The spiralling ramp leading up to the belvédère (viewpoint)
Spiral labyrinth © French Moments
The rose garden
The Orangerie building (1835) and its formal garden
The Orangerie © French Moments
The vast rose garden
Rose garden © French Moments
The Kiosque de l’Impératrice of Victorian style overlooking the rose garden from a small mound.
Empress Kiosk and rose garden © French Moments
The kitchen garden and Jardin des Présentateurs
Created in 1905 to display new varieties of vegetable plants. It is adorned with a long pergola.
Kitchen garden © French Moments
Pergola in Jardin des Présentateurs © French Moments
Jardin des Présentateurs, Parc de Bagatelle © French Moments
Find out more about the Parc de Bagatelle on the offical website of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau.
