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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Retz Desert is an Anglo-Chinese garden designed at the end of the 18th century by François-Nicolas-Henri Racine de Monville, an aristocrat passionate about art and botany. Located in Chambourcy in the Yvelines, this 38-hectare estate (today reduced to 17) is distinguished by its seventeen factories – picturesque buildings such as the destroyed Column or the Chinese House – and its exotic essences. The term Desert then evokes a lonely retreat away from social conventions, inspired by the philosophical gardens of the Enlightenment.

The site derives its name from Barthélemy de Roye (or Retz), former local lord and chambrier of Philippe-Auguste, founder of Joyenval Abbey. Built in 1774 by Monville, the estate was built between 1775 and 1785, with constructions such as the Temple to the god Pan (1775), the Column destroyed (1781, now his residence), or the Pyramid Glacier. The final plan, published by Georges-Louis Lerouge in 1785, reveals about twenty factories scattered in a cleverly composed landscape, combining ancient, oriental and Masonic references.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1941 thanks to the action of Jean-Charles Moreux and Colette, the Retz Desert experienced periods of decline, notably after its acquisition by the Société Fermière de Joyenval in 1936. Restoration campaigns (1973–1979, 1989) saved key elements such as the Tartar Tent or the Discovery Theatre. In 2007, 17 hectares were returned to the town of Chambourcy for a symbolic euro. The site, reopened to the public in 2009, remains a unique testimony of picturesque 18th century gardens.

Among the factories still visible, the destroyed Column (25 m high), the gothic church in ruins (XIII century), or the Pyramid Glacier illustrate the eclecticism of Monville. Others, such as the Chinese House – the first Chinese house in Europe, built in teak – or the Rock, have disappeared. The estate welcomed personalities such as Marie-Antoinette, Gustave III of Sweden, or Thomas Jefferson, reflecting its cultural influence.

In the 20th century, figures such as André Breton, Colette and André Malraux contributed to his reputation. Today, the Retz Desert is managed by the municipality and open to the public, especially during Heritage Days. His recent history is marked by legal tensions with the golf club Joyenval, owner of part of the estate.

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