Parc et jardins du château de la Motte-Tilly

The park of the castle of La Motte Tilly bears witness to the evolution of the gardens of the great residences. When it was created in 1754, it was a garden with regular layouts, designed by the architect François Nicolas Lancret with main roads, embroidery, bowls and rectilinear alleys. The Domaine de la Motte Tilly is the perfect example of these country residences, which the great officers of the State have built, not far from the royal power (110 km from Paris). This French-style garden only lasted for about thirty years. In the 18th century, it was the fashion for landscape romanticism with the appearance of "Anglo-Chinese" gardens: the lines bent, the flowerbeds curved, the groves diversified. Around 1787, the park was transformed according to the new taste of the time: vast lawns dotted with groves of trees with irregular edges, a gentle slope towards the body of water decorated with two artificial islands. For several years, the park has been the subject of projects aimed at restoring its appeal: design of a tilletum, collection of lime trees of different species and origins, restoration of the bouquetier garden. In 2018, in partnership with the Chlorophylle association, the 18th century vegetable garden rose from the ground and returned to its original place in the park, near the gardener's house. It is possible to visit it and buy the products of this organic vegetable garden every Wednesday!