Gardens 2026 set for the Environment House at the Montauger estate

What to do at Rendez-Vous aux Jardins in Essonne? This weekend, June 5–7, 2026, the Environment House, tucked away in the Montauger estate, is offering a special program.

The domaine de Montauger awaits us on the occasion of the Rendez-vous aux jardins, held this year over the weekend of June 5–7, 2026. The premise of the event? To invite the public to discover gardens and parks as living works—shaped by time, by how they are used, by the know-how involved, and by the gaze we bring to them.

At the Departmental Environment House, on the Montauger estate, it’s a chance to take part in a special program. The dwelling visible today sits within the history of an old aristocratic estate, reshaped over the centuries. The 18th-century castle is said to have been linked to Jacques Hardouin-Mansart de Sagonne, the last of the Mansarts, in an area that once boasted several prestigious properties. While the building was partly transformed in the 19th century, it preserves from this architectural lineage a certain sense of classical elegance, visible in its restrained lines, its orderly composition, and its dialogue with the park.

Here, we stand at the crossroads of built heritage and a living landscape. Acquired by the Essonne Department in 2002, the estate has been given a new lease on life with the installation of the Environment House in a restored manor. Montauger unfolds a mosaic of habitats that is its signature: a tree-lined park around the house, an orchard, a vegetable garden, a vineyard, meadows, ponds, lakes, wetlands, and footpaths that thread together the site’s various faces.

The 2026 Rendez-Vous aux Jardins program at the Environment House on the Montauger estate

A strolling reading of "La Fontaine's Fables, a Mirror of Humankind"
Saturday, June 6, 2026 — 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
In the woods and meadows, animals speak up. Their tales, at once witty and biting, illuminate human foibles. As part of Rendez-Vous aux Jardins 2026, rediscover La Fontaine’s Fables, where wisdom intersects with mischief. A lively, timeless reading moment that brings children and adults together to share ideas and reflect as one.
The Poetry of Sleep: "Tulog Na Tula"
Saturday, June 6, 2026 - 4:30 p.m. ⤏ 5:15 p.m.
And what if, for one afternoon, you let the world slow down…

We invite you to share a musical and sensory pause in the heart of a natural, delicate space.

As part of the Rendez-vous aux Jardins 2026, simply settle on the grass, let the earth carry you, and the sky enfold you.

The gentle tones of a zen-inspired music will cradle the moment, a soft breath between waking and dreaming.

This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.