Dreaming of a secret garden? Then you are in the right place because the Allée de la Roseraie is just that. This isn’t just any garden path it’s a journey through the history and beauty of roses. The Allée de la Roseraie presents a revolutionary concept. It uses roses as the sole element of vegetal decoration. This transformed the art of gardens.
The Roseraie du Val-de-Marne is a very special place with the allure of a wonderland. Here, you can stroll among rose bushes. Their shimmering colors enchant your walk. The Roseraie du Val-de-Marne is approved as a “Conservatory of specialized plant collections”. It is also listed in the supplementary inventory of historical monuments. It has also received the Remarkable Garden label.
Jules Gravereaux created this magical place in the late 19th century. It is located in the town of L’Haÿ-les-Roses. It spans 1.5 hectares. It reveals no fewer than 11,000 rose bushes and 2,600 different species.
The Roseraie du Val-de-Marne is the first rose garden in the world. Jules Gravereaux created it in 1894. The famous landscape architect Edouard André enriched it in 1899. This rose garden is a true botanical conservatory. It houses the largest living collection of old roses. Today, it brings together several thousands of varieties. The Val-de-Marne Department has carefully maintained them for over forty years.
Organized rigorously and with a didactic spirit, the collections are divided into sectors. Jules Gravereaux designed them according to a chronological evolution. This goes from the oldest to the most recent varieties. This approach allows visitors to discover the fascinating evolution of roses through the centuries.
Here, you can discover 13 collections. They are arranged around the decorative rose garden. It has a French garden style. From wild roses to cultivated roses, this magical garden reveals one of the most important collections of old roses in France and even the world.
The Roseraie du Val-de-Marne has modern French and foreign roses on one side. The formal rose garden has a reflecting pool in the center. The old garden roses and classic roses are on the other side. Walking through the Allée de la Roseraie, imagine Jules Gravereaux. He made his fortune at the Bon Marché department store in Paris. In 1892, he purchased a large property in L’Haÿ. He hired Édouard André to lay out a garden containing 1,600 roses. This garden claims to be the first ever dedicated exclusively to roses.
Gravereaux collected roses from all over Europe. He started to create new rose varieties. These would produce rose oil for perfume. He worked on hybrids of Rosa rugosa. He developed the cultivar ‘Rose à parfum de L’Haÿ’, among others. In all, he created 27 new cultivars, primarily for rose oil production. The very fragrant, crimson-purple rugosa hybrid ‘Roseraie de L’Haÿ’ was named for this garden.
In May 1914, the name of the town of L’Haÿ became officially L’Haÿ-les-Roses. This means “L’Haÿ the roses”. It was in honor of the renowned rose garden.
The Roseraie de L’Haÿ reached peak capacity at 8,000 roses in 1910. It included every type known at the time. The site has been judged a historic monument. The pavilions are protected.
The Allée de la Roseraie is more than just a path. It is a living museum and a testament to the beauty and history of roses. Take a stroll. Immerse yourself in the colors and scents of this extraordinary garden. It is a unique experience that will leave you with a lasting appreciation for the queen of flowers.