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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Jardin du Pré-Catelan, located in Illers-Combray, was built around 1870 by Jules Amiot, uncle of Marcel Proust, upon his return from Algeria before the 1870 war. This leisure garden, inspired by the Pré-Catelan du Bois de Boulogne, became an emblematic place for the writer, evoked in his work as the park of Tansonville, owned by Swann. The site was crossed by the Serpentine Creek, spanned by bridges decorated with cement guardrails imitating interlaced branches.

The garden housed four factories: a pavilion of the Polygonal Archers in enamelled bricks, a koubba (pseudo-minaret) reminiscent of Jules Amiot's Algerian stay, and two dovecotes. These elements, as well as the rocks and bridges, were classified as Historic Monument in 1999. The garden, now owned by the commune, mixes oriental and romantic influences, reflecting the eclectic tastes of its creator.

Marcel Proust, whose family was close to the Amiots, inspired this place to describe in In search of lost time the landscapes of Combray. The garden, with its picturesque buildings and stream, embodies the art of 19th century gardens, between exoticism and nostalgia. The accuracy of its location remains a priori satisfactory (note 6/10), and its official address is the No.1 Rural Sentence of the Rompu Cross in Illers-Combray.

Ranked for its factories, bridges and built elements (cadastre AD 450, 451), the site is a rare testimony of the private gardens of the provincial bourgeoisie of the time. Its current condition and access (visit, rental) are not specified in available sources.

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