Parc de Saint-Cloud
Encyclopedia
Saint-Cloud
Saint-Cloud is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.Like other communes of the Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine or Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of the wealthiest cities in France, ranked 22nd out of the 36500 in...
, in the Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
department, near Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France.
The park, which covers 460 hectares, was a nature reserve until 1923. It is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe, and in 2005 the park was awarded Notable Garden status. On 9 November 1994 the park was classified as a Historic Monument. In 1999 a winter storm heavily damaged the park's forests. As of late 2008, restoration efforts were still underway. The park is operated as a domaine nationale under the French Ministry of Culture
Minister of Culture (France)
The Minister of Culture is, in the Government of France, the cabinet member in charge of national museums and monuments; promoting and protecting the arts in France and abroad; and managing the national archives and regional "maisons de culture"...
.
History
The park is located on the site of the Château de Saint-CloudChâteau de Saint-Cloud
The Château de Saint-Cloud was a Palace in France, built on a magnificent site overlooking the Seine at Saint-Cloud in Hauts-de-Seine, about 10 kilometres west of Paris. Today it is a large park on the outskirts of the capital and is owned by the state, but the area as a whole has had a large...
, a residence of royal and imperial families from the 16th century. After Napoleon III declared war on the Prussian
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
s, the site was occupied by a Prussian force which used the high outcropping to shell Paris
Siege of Paris
The Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 – January 28, 1871, and the consequent capture of the city by Prussian forces led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune....
. Counter-fire from the French caused the building to burn on 13 October 1870. The structure was completely razed in August 1892.
Only a few outbuildings remain from the original structure. The park contains a Le Nôtre-designed garden in the French style, an English garden, and Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
's rose garden.
The park showcases a panoramic view of Paris called "La Lanterne" or the "Lantern of Demosthenes".
Buildings and points of interest
- Musée du château de Saint-Cloud: A five-room museum dedicated to the destroyed chateau
- Ecole Normale SupérieureÉcole Normale SupérieureThe École normale supérieure is one of the most prestigious French grandes écoles...
(E.N.S.): Located in the Pavillon Valois - Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (B.I.P.M.): The International Bureau of Weights and Measures is located in the Pavillon de Breteuil; the building contains copies of the meter and kilogram standards.
Access
The park is accessible via Pont de SèvresPont de Sèvres (Paris Metro)
Pont de Sèvres is a station of the Paris Métro, located near the Pont de Sèvres, which is a bridge on the Seine connecting to Sèvres. The station opened on 3 February 1934 with the extension from Porte de Saint-Cloud....
and Boulogne - Pont de Saint-Cloud
Boulogne - Pont de Saint-Cloud (Paris Metro)
Boulogne - Pont de Saint-Cloud is a station on Line 10 of the Paris Métro. The station lies under the Rond-Point Rhin et Danube, near the Pont de Saint-Cloud bridge over the Seine, in the commune of Boulogne-Billancourt. The station was opened on 2 October 1981 when Line 10 was extended from...
metro stations.