Discovering the gardens of the Plessis au Bois manor
On the edge of the Retz forest, a few kilometers from Crépy-en-Valois, the manor house stands out on the hillside, behind the high walls surrounding its gardens. It is characteristic of the manor-farms built in the Valois and Soissonnais regions at the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance.
A composition inspired by Genesis
The gardens, which surround the manor on all sides, have been a work of art in constant evolution since 2003.
Designed by Isabelle Levêque, landscape designer and garden historian, and Hélène Ruffenach, artist and botanist, these green spaces offer a modern reinterpretation of the Renaissance spirit. Their design is inspired by the seven days of creation recounted in the Book of Genesis, with each "chamber of greenery" symbolizing an aspect of this cosmogony.
Spaces with many faces
Visitors can discover a variety of facilities: a flower garden, a bowling green, rose arches, a fruit orchard, ponds decorated with irises and wisteria, and even a water canal.
The fruits and vegetables grown in these gardens, such as vines, apple trees and trained pear trees, recall the ancient use of the place, where the vegetable garden and the orchard have always held a central place.
A historical heritage
The manor, listed as a Historic Monument, has a rich and complex history. It has belonged to illustrious figures such as Philippe d'Orléans, brother of Louis XIV, and his son, the Regent.
Its gardens, for their part, bear witness to a horticultural tradition rooted in time, mixing medieval and Renaissance influences.
