THE PARK AND HIS REBIRTH

With its large central lawn encircled by a wooded border, the Ailleville Park offers 

natural lines inherited from the landscaping carried out in the first half of the 19th century. Its ring path invites you to stroll under the branches of majestic trees, and its benches to 

pause and daydream. What did the castle's exterior look like when it was built in the 17th century ? 

While information on the park's history in the 17th and 18th centuries is brief, the 19th century is much better documented. The Napoleonic cadastre of 1836 reveals a sophisticated park layout, with serpentine paths and two circular "plazas" that were probably intended to house decorative elements such as statues, vases and fountains. An 1833 description also states that the garden is "planted with trees". According to current knowledge, it was Eulalie Rosalie Magnyer de Gondreville, owner of the castle between 1820 and 1833, who initiated the development of this landscaped park in keeping with the aesthetic movement of romantic English gardens, as well as a hot greenhouse (removed in 1871) and an orangery (also no longer in existence). 

A heritage treasure trove, where a history of over 300 years has left a deep imprint, the identity of the Ailleville Castle Park has been severely altered by decades of neglect. 

To restore its spirit, life and appeal, the " Château d'Ailleville " association, created in 2021, has set itself the mission of saving and enhancing the estate. To this end, an intervention program supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (FEADER) was developed. 

The program is based on understanding the park’s history, enhancing existing components, taking care of the vegetal patrimony, protecting the biodiversity of the site and all the while, offering a space for artistic creation. 

In one of the castle's rooms is a series of frescoes depicting a beautiful, unidentifed landscape park, some elements of which served as inspiration for the embellishment of the Ailleville Park. The Medici vases are a nod to this artwork. In addition, as there is little information on the species originally present in Ailleville, some of the painted plants were used to inspire the current plant palette. 

Among its owners, Ailleville counted lovers of the arts ans gardens. The creation of a green open-air theater at the crossroads of the art of gardening and live performance, resonates as a tribute to these characters who forged its identity. 

Green open-air theaters originated in 17th century Italy. They transposed the architecture of Italian-style theaters into the world of vegetation. The model subsequently spread throughout Europe and was perpetuated over the centuries, with some architectural variations. 

The Ailleville castle’s green open-air theater features clean lines and a deliberately contemporary style, creating a dialogue between past and present with the seigniorial residence. Positioned between the main courtyard and the landscaped park, it creates a transition between these two spaces. The two rowns of seating made in Brétigny stone, whose lines blend into the surrounding rural landscape, invite you to contemplate the scenery of nature, the castle, or a show, when the time comes... 

With its regular layout and ornamental basin, the Ailleville " kitchen garden " is in the tradition of classic castle kitchen gardens. Its presence at Ailleville rst appears in an archival document from 1779. It is highly probable, however, that a kitchen garden existed prior to this date, as they were an essential part of castle life. 

The new " kitchen garden " at Ailleville castle is located at the back of the garden where it existed in the 20th century. It features a regular layout organized around a 4 meterdiameter central basin made of Brétigny stone. 

Divided into six growing areas, it is home to perennial vegetables, aromatic plants, medicinal plants, owers, berries and vines in homage to the Champagne vineyards. e kitchen garden is bordered on two sides by hedges of native species and is of great ecological interest, providing an ecosystem for a large number of living creatures: birds, micro-mammals, insects. The Ailleville kitchen garden has been designed to limit water consumption.