Didn’t Louis Antoine de Bougainville circumnavigate the globe? He did. Welcome to Parc Louis Antoine de Bougainville. This park is named in his honor.
This park in Noisy-le-Grand provides a crucial link. It connects the Maille Horizon Nord district. It also links the Espaces d’Abraxas and the Bas-Heurts district. These are west of Noisy-le-Grand.
The park’s design takes advantage of its unique location. It sits on a hillside overlooking the Marne valley. The park unfolds as a series of balconies. These balconies offer views of the Parisian panorama.
Plaine du Piémont shapes the park’s design. The slopes of the hillside and the edge of the plateau also influenced it. The park integrates the management of rainwater.
The park was inaugurated on February 9 2019. Brigitte Marsigny the Mayor of Noisy-le-Grand opened it. This beautiful park spans 2 hectares. That is about 5 acres.
Louis Antoine de Bougainville was a French military officer and explorer. He was born in Paris in 1729. He died there in 1811. Bougainville served in the Seven Years’ War. He also served in the American Revolutionary War.
Bougainville gained fame for his expeditions. These included a circumnavigation of the globe. He led a scientific expedition in 1763. He established the first recorded settlement on the Falkland Islands. He also voyaged into the Pacific Ocean.
Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea bears his name. The flowering plant Bougainvillea also honors him.
In his early life, he studied law. He later abandoned the profession. In 1753 he joined the French Army. He was in the Musketeers of the Guard. At 25 he published a treatise on integral calculus.
In 1755 he was sent to England. He served as secretary to the French embassy in London. There he became a member of the Royal Society.
During the Seven Years’ War, Bougainville was stationed in Canada. He was captain of dragoons and aide-de-camp to the Marquis de Montcalm. He fought in the capture of Fort Oswego in 1756. He also fought in the 1757 Battle of Fort William Henry. He was wounded in 1758 at the defense of Fort Carillon.
In 1766 Louis XV allowed Bougainville to circumnavigate the globe. He became the 14th navigator. He was the first Frenchman to sail around the world. This boosted France’s prestige. It followed defeats in the Seven Years’ War.
The expedition included botanist Philibert Commerçon. Commerçon named the flower Bougainvillea. His valet was later discovered to be Jeanne Barret. She became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe.
Enjoy the views and reflect on Bougainville’s voyages.