France - Royal Parks And Hidden Gardens In Paris And the Ile-De-France (8/151)

France - Royal Parks And Hidden Gardens In Paris And the Ile-De-France (8/151)

The art of French gardening, famous for its wide vistas and harmonically arranged landscapes, was born in Île-de-France, the heartland of France, from where the country was governed. In the age of absolutism, it reflected the desire to conquer and subjugate nature and the world to the will of the monarch. The garden of Vaux-le-Vicomte marks the beginning of the classical French gardens, the first masterpiece created by legendary landscaper André le Nôtre, who went on to design the gardens of Versailles for Louis XIV., the Sun King, and was admired and copied throughout Europe. Today, the modern gardens in Paris are not stately and representative, rather designed to serve the public, but nevertheless bear witness to the spirit of the classic French garden, such as the Parc André Citroen. Aside from the new parks built by the city, such as the Promenade Plantée, there are also small community gardens in the various districts of Paris, in which city dwellers can meet, linger and get a whiff of nature. The film shows the contrast between these modern, people-oriented oases amid a sea of concrete, and the historic lordly residences in the suburbs and outside of town. They all reflect the nature of their owners, users and caretakers, who all join together to provide beautiful gardens for the visitor to Paris.