Created in 1894 by Parisian businessman Jules Gravereaux, with the help of landscape architect Edouard André, the Roseraie du Val-de-Marne was the first modern rose garden in the world.
It elevated the rose as the sole element of decoration, therefore revolutionizing the art of garden-making.
As a botanical conservatory, it is the most important living collection of old roses with over 3,000 varieties.
The 13 groups of collections are distributed in the sectors that Jules Gravereaux had originally conceived according to a logic of chronological evolution from the most ancient varieties to the most recent.
The French rose garden consists of a collection of rose bushes arranged around a small lake and curated to represent the best of french rose breeding.
The alley of the history of the roses presents a selection of roses that characterise stages of the evolution of the rose.
The path of botanical roses showcases a collection of species roses, as they grow in the wild.
The path of rough roses, contains roses that are particularly hardy or resistant to pests and disease.
The alley of the burnet roses presents rosebushes known as burnet whose foliage resembles that of the burnet - Sometimes referred to as Scottish Roses.
The garden of Gallic Rose includes all varieties of roses known to the western world in the 18th century.
The path of Malmaison Rose is a copy of the collection of roses collected by Josephine de Beauharnais in the early 19th century. The decline of Malmaison after her death was the main inspiration to establish these gardens.
The rose garden of the Far East offers a collection of old roses from China, Japan, India and Persia.
The garden of the old horticultural roses presents varieties of roses coming from crosses between Gallic roses and rosebushes from the Far East like the Portland Rose amongst others.
The garden of modern foreign roses showcases the most beautiful creations of the creators of foreign roses e.g. foreign meaning other than French.
The garden of modern French roses pays homage to more recent French horticultural creations which are planted around the Temple of Love.
The path of tea roses includes varieties of roses obtained 19th century which are particularly fragrant, usually bred from Rosa odorata.
The rose garden of Madame Gravereaux presents cut rose flowers.
The Val-de-Marne Rose Garden was recognized in 1991 as the French National Collection of Ancient Roses by the Conservatoire de Végétale Spécialisée ( CCVS ).
In 1995, the Rose Garden also received the first ever Award of Garden Excellence from the World Federation of Rose Societies.
This is a 'must-see' garden for any keen rose grower.
Author: Bob Saunders.
Le Pavillon Normand - restaurant and tea house
> By public transport:
RER B stop Bourg-la-Reine, then bus 172 or 192
Metro Porte d'Italie, then bus 186 or 184 (holiday, bus 286)
Bus 172-192 stop Sub-prefecture / Church
Bus 184 stop Avenue du General Leclerc
Bus 186 L'Haÿ-les-Roses / Thiras-Jouhaux stop
> By car:
Access by road: RD7 , RN20 or A86 then RD126
Three car parks nearby:
municipal street Albert Watel
sub-prefecture
Dispan de Floran