Château de Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard

This historic château hosts two of Europe's most famous plant festivals.

04/08/2002
Château de Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard
The Château de Sait-Jean-de-Beauregard, located just a short distance south of Paris, is surrounded with suburbs and overflown by planes coming and going to Orly Airport. But once you enter the park of the château, you step into a peaceful world of ordered beauty as it existed centuries ago. Established in 1628 and in private family hands ever since, St-Jean-de-Beauregard is a living monument to 17th century French life.

In the current century, this has been due to the undying devotion of Monsieur de Curel, pictured above during our conversation. Owner of the estate and passionate about history, he devotes himself unceasingly to preserving the property just as it was in the 17th century, a period about which he is justly wistful and nostalgic. To preserve the estate--for better or worse, as he puts it--has been his life's vocation. What he undoubtedly means is the enormous cost and effort required to maintain such a property according to 17th century standards in a 21st century world.

These ancient greenhouses, for example, are still used to raise all the perennial and vegetable plants for the estate, which includes the most beautiful potager I've seen to date. Two of them are permanently planted with table grape vines, in an ancient tradition that protects the vines from disease and pests, while pots of scented geraniums and clivia overwinter at their feet.

It was by the greenhouses that I came upon Mr. de Curel, adjusting the window openings to compensate for the wind. The entire potager is immaculately cared for. It includes several hundred espaliered fruit trees--many over a hundred years oldd--and enormous beds of perennials and bulbs as well as vegetables.

Its ancient rosy brick walls are festooned with roses and clematis. I was stunned when Mr. de Curel told me that a single gardener--"with all the equipment imaginable"--cares for it all. Knowing I was American, he went on to relate that several years ago, a group of American women had come to visit the potager. After strolling around for a couple of hours, they announced to him that their garden club had decided to award a prize to the most beautiful garden they visited on their trip to France, and that the potager at St-Jean-de-Beauregard was voted the winner. As award, they offered to restore the rose arch in the photo at right.

Mr. de Curel, pointing out the arch, told me how enormously touched by this gesture he was. He was very moved that a group of American women would offer to shoulder a portion of the expense for this garden he had struggled all his life to care for.

At the time of our visit in early April, last fall's leeks were still numerous and lusty, and new spring vegetables were well on their way. A beautiful array of jewel-like lettuces was already mature under a protective tunnel of plastic (a concession to modernity, admittedly).

In order to enhance public awareness of the gardens, and not incidentally earn a bit of money to offset its expenses, Mr. de Curel hosts two wonderful plant festivals each year: the Fête des Plantes Vivaces (Festival of Perennials) in the spring, and the Fête des Fruits et Légumes Oubliés (Festival of "forgotten" fruits and vegetables) in the late autumn.

Visitors throng both the spring and the fall events--regardless of weather. And they're right. These are events not to be missed--the spring festival for its stunning array of perennial plants and inspired workshops, with floral displays that give you lots of ideas to take home with you, such as the 'wall' of flowers (pictured below) created by arranging cut blossoms and leaves into a panel of chicken wire and moss.

The fall edition of the festival embodies the very soul of the harvest season, with specialists in ancient fruits and vegetables vending their wares along with artisans from all over France. You leave feeling as if you just spent several hours in a 17th century autumn country fair.
A combination of Mr. de Curel's passion and gentleness, and the harmonious beauty of the château and its exquisite farm court of outbuildings make these festivals the most enjoyable I've gone to. A spirit of openness, friendliness, and peace reigns throughout. Exhibitors are housed all over the park as well as in the barns and the pigeonnier, a sort of dovecote for pigeons that is one of the most beautiful in all of France. In fact, this place of honor belongs to Guy, our basketmaker. Like the museum-quality pieces they are, his baskets are displayed in this historical treasure of a building.

Here is Guy, putting the finishing touches on one of his exquisite willow baskets. Look into his face and you see pure gentleness and love of life. Look at his hands and you see that they have been sculpted by his passion. Guy is one of--if not the--finest traditional vanniers or basketmakers, in all of France. When museums need their baskets restored, they call Guy.

But Guy is artist and creator as well as husband of tradition. He is constantly striking out in new directions in his use of form and color, all the time holding true to traditional methods of impeccable quality. His latest series (see 'Shop Online'--Accoutrements--Baskets and crates') is inspired by the forms of ancient pottery from his native region. Simultaneously, he is one of the only living creators of nesting baskets or nichoirs for wild ducks and other fowl. All the colors in Guy's baskets are natural, due to the various bark colors of the different species Guy not only uses, but grows and harvests himself on his farm in central France.

If you find yourself in France in early April or early November, be sure not to miss these garden experiences. Between times, visit the château and gardens at St-Jean-de-Beauregard in their own right. You won't be disappointed.

For more information, visit www.domsaintjeanbeauregard.com, the château's excellent, informative, and bilingual (French/English) web site.
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Products of Interest:
Large willow apple basket
Willow nut basket

Oval willow basket

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