The domain de Courson
Landscaped garden
Courson Park places its 300-year-old perimeter in the rich agricultural landscape of Hurepoix. The area reserves the surprise of complementary and contrasting forms.
The combined talents of the greatest French ‘landscape architects’ of the 19th century subtly transformed the layout of the quincunx-arranged groves and green spaces into a romantic landscape park. The grand central avenue and a few ancient oak trees bear witness to the original ‘French-style’ park, which dates from the time of the château’s construction by Guillaume de Lamoignon, around 1676.
History of the Park
The transformation of the park dates back to 1820, when the Duke of Padua commissioned Berthault to carry out the work. Berthault laid out a network of winding paths and planted numerous trees of various species, whilst successive levels were created using ornamental flowerbeds.
It was against this initial backdrop that the Bülher brothers began their work in 1860. The pond was dug out and the range of plant life was greatly expanded to include Virginia tulip trees, bald cypresses, Austrian black pines and Corsican laricio pines.
Between 1920 and 1950, Count Ernest de Caraman completed the planting, including the magnificent coniferous grove and the rhododendron and azalea beds that line the pond.
Since 1980, major restoration and landscaping projects have been successfully completed. The gradual introduction of several hundred botanical species, not to mention horticultural varieties, keeps alive the spirit of this place, where botanical interest and aesthetic standards come together.
Today, visitors can admire various collections of oaks, azaleas, hydrangeas, roses, mock orange, peonies, cedars, sweetgums and camellias, thanks to which the park’s original layout has been restored.
With the support of the Île-de-France Green Spaces Agency, major restoration work has been carried out since 1992. This has involved the refurbishment of the lake and the main walking paths, followed by the restoration of the greenhouses and the labelling of the plantings.
This interest in the park, shared by an ever-growing audience, led to the launch in 1982 of the Courson Plant Days, which took place twice a year for over 30 years and made Courson famous. The Plant Days have been held in Chantilly since 2015.
Courson is now placing greater emphasis on families, with the launch of a brand-new nature trail designed especially for children aged 7 to 12: the Hippolyte Trail.
A member of La Demeure Historique, Les Vieilles Maisons Françaises, the Association des Parcs Botaniques de France, Jardins et Châteaux autour de Paris and the C.P.J.F., the Domaine de COURSON was awarded the “Jardin Remarquable” label in 2004.
The domain de Courson
91680 Courson-Monteloup
Tel: +33 (0)1 64 58 90 12
