Bagatelle

The Château de Bagatelle was built by François-Joseph Bellanger for the Comte d’Artois, future King Charles X, in the Bois de Boulogne on the outskirts of Paris. Picturesque English gardens were designed by Thomas Blaikie as a park embellished with artificial ponds, rivers, bridges, and ornamented with sculptures. The splendors of the pavilion and its gardens were described by prestigious visitors, including Thomas Jefferson. Spared by the Revolution, Bagatelle became the setting for many important moments in European history. It was purchased by the City of Paris in 1905. The park has remained open, but the Château has been closed to the public for the last fifteen years. The restoration of Bagatelle has now been entrusted to the Mansart Foundation: a team of specialists and the collaboration of Jacques Garcia will bring the Château to its glory. This illustrated volume recounts the fabulous history of Bagatelle with spectacular new photography, unpublished archival documents, and insightful texts by specialists.