Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The garden of Saint-Cloud was built between 1927 and 1929 by landscape artist Jean-Claude-Nicolas Forestier for painter Alice Stern. This bold project, located on a high-elevation terrain through a railway tunnel, is distinguished by its adaptation to the needs of a person with reduced mobility. Major earthworks resulted in a slab on either side of the track, supporting three terraces connected by a sloping ramp. The vast lawns, the trees inherited from Montretout Castle, and the cut box beds structure the space, while an alley of lindens aligned with the Eiffel Tower marks the southern boundary.

The garden features a pergola rose garden in the east, offering an unobstructed view of the Parisian panorama. Designed as a private garden on slab – a rarity at the time – it combines functionality and aesthetics, with topiaries highlighting the lines of the terraces. The northern part, now transformed into a parking lot, was initially included in the whole. The site was listed as a Historic Monument in 2006, protecting its carrying structure, slabs, retaining walls, and the terrain above the tunnel, with the exception of subsequent developments.

The precise address, 7-9 avenue Pozzo-di-Borgo, places the garden in a privileged urban setting, between landscaped heritage and modernity. The location, rated as satisfactory (level 7/10), and the photographs licensed under Creative Commons demonstrate its historical and architectural interest. This garden remains a unique example of innovative landscape adaptation at the beginning of the 20th century, combining technical constraints and artistic sensitivity.

External links