The Park and Chateau de Bagatelle, now owned by the city of Paris, is located on the edge of the Bois de Bologne. It is surrounded by gardens and landscaping which were part of the estate purchased by the Compte Chimay in 1770. He was the chief huntsman for Louis XVI’s brother-in-law, Comte d’Artois, who purchased the estate from Chimay in 1775.  D’Artois leveled the existing derelict structure, making a bet with Queen Marie Antoinette, his sister-in-law, that he could build a pavilion befitting a queen, before she returned from her visit to Austria. Comte d’Artois poured both money and good taste into the project, hiring the architect, Francois-Joseph Belanger. Sixty-three days and one million livres later, the elegant project was complete. I am told he managed this with round-the-clock laborers, plied with both money and wine. Though the pavilion was closed on this visit, Henry and I have toured this lovely jewel box on one occasion. The interior is perfectly beautiful, with exquisite furnishings, and architectural detailing, including a domed ceiling in the intimate dining room. The building is framed with beautiful grounds and gardens. On one side is a lawn surrounded by boxwood hedge and lacy flowers. On the opposite side, are sentry pavilions, a Trianon, and two terraces built by Sir Richard Wallace of England, adopted son of Lord Seymour. His purchase of the property in 1835 brought the Bagatelle, a miraculous survivor of the Revolution, back to life. Today, the Trianon is used for a variety of purposes. This summer, it held an exhibition of kimonos from Japan. On another visit, it was a garden shop where we purchased a beautiful book about the Jardins de Bagatelle. This beautiful structure and its gardens has been woven into the cultural life of Paris, a pleasure to visit and a joy to behold.

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. Water lilies in the ornamental pond adjacent to the Chateau de Bagatelle. 2. Garden hedges at the Jardin de Bagatelle. 3. Sentry pavilions at the entrance to the Chateau de Bagatelle. 4. Grotto in the Jardin de Bagatelle. Center, Top: Chateau de Bagatelle with lawn  and gardens.  Center, Bottom: Chateau de Bagatelle from the opposite side , flanked by the Trianon and the terraces. Right Column: 1. Detail, painted shutters on the windows of the dining room, Chateau de Bagatelle. 2. View of the Chateau de Bagatelle from the Trianon, showing the terraces. 3. Window detail on the Trianon. 4. Iron bridge over an ornamental pond, adjacent to the Chateau de Bagatelle.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                           BACK TO MAP PAGE