De la folie de Chartres au Parc Monceau

This conference traces the transformation of the Parc Monceau estate from its origins as the Folly of the Duke of Chartres to the elegant public park it is today. Attendees will learn how three successive gardens—French-style parterres, Carmontelle's garden of illusions with its fabriques, and Blaikie's English landscape park—gave way to the vicissitudes of the Revolution and eventually to Haussmann's redesign.

The talk, presented by Danièle Prévost of the Historical and Archaeological Society of the 8th and 17th arrondissements, explores how the domain was split in 1860 between the Pereire brothers for development and the City of Paris, which entrusted Alphand, Davioud, and Barillet-Deschamps with creating what became the city's most fashionable promenade. The park's rich history—from its architectural follies to its inspiration for painters and writers—offers a fascinating lens on Parisian urban evolution.