Looking for a great outing idea for Rendez-Vous aux Jardins 2026 in Essonne ? This weekend of June 5–7, 2026, we’ll once again pair nature with culture through a rich program of animations across the four corners of the Île-de-France region. And in Corbeil-Essonnes, it’s the moment to discover the remains of a knightly-religious order: the Saint-Jean Commandery is taking part in this year’s edition of the event!
The site preserves memories of the knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, also known as the Hospitallers, the religious-military order that would become the Order of Malta. Here you’ll find an ancient 13th‑century chapel, the sole remaining vestige of the commandery once occupied in the Middle Ages by the knights of Saint John. The Saint-Jean Commandery today stands as one of Corbeil-Essonnes’s cultural venues, located on the site of a priory built by the Order of Malta and later inhabited by Queen Ingeborg of Denmark, widow of Philip II Augustus. Its spaces now host exhibitions and much more! So what does this historic site in department 91 have in store for this year?
Gardens on the horizon
Take a gardener’s stroll through the city by visiting 10 gardens that open their doors and dazzle you with their shapes, colors, and variety. Expect encounters with models clothed in greenery, tastings of garden produce, as well as exhibitions and observation workshops.
Terms of participation: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, June 6, 2026 — 10:00–18:30 | Sunday, June 7, 2026 — 10:00–18:30
Garden mode
In Garden Mode: a Fashion Show
An artist-designer explores the plant world by crafting striking outfits from botanical and floral elements. Meet models adorned with plant-inspired ensembles as they travel through the gardens.
Saturday, June 6:
- 2:30 PM at the Garden of Delights - 10 Rue du Tir
- 3:30 PM at the Garden by the Water - 9 Rue du Déversoir
- 4:30 PM at Petit Eco'libri - 15 Rue de la Commanderie
- 6:00 PM at La Commanderie Saint-Jean - 24 Rue Widmer
Sunday, June 7:
- 2:00 PM at Paul’s Garden "Le Golestan" - 36 Rue d'Angoulême
- 3:15 PM at Solange’s Garden - 41 Rue d'Angoulême
- 4:45 PM at the Mill Garden - 20 Place Léon Cassé
Entry requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, June 6, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, June 7, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Paper Garden
Exhibition: Paper Garden — a botanical stroll through Corbeil-Essonnes
Marie-Christine Boisson, painter and nature enthusiast, and a longtime illustrator for botanical magazines and editions, offers her take on city greenery through a watercolor exhibition rich in bright, vivid tones. Ancient plants, unusual or unexpected species await the passerby around every street corner.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedules: Saturday, June 6, 2026 – 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM | Sunday, June 7, 2026 – 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM, 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM
The Medieval Garden of Alice de Bergères
Come and visit the medieval garden "Alice de Bergères", founded in 2021 in the tradition of monastic gardens. Beds of medicinal herbs, aromatic herbs, dye plants, and ornamental flowers await you.
Conditions de participation : Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, June 6, 2026 — 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Beauty Sparkle Concert
A Spark of Beauty
A sensitive sonic exploration is offered to us by an ensemble of musicians from the Claude-Debussy Conservatory in the green setting of the Saint-Jean Commandery.
Participation requirements: Free | Reservation required - 0164967849
Schedule: Saturday, June 6, 2026 — 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Sketching with the Sun
Come discover cyanotype, the ancient artistic photographic technique, through a poetic workshop: the sun reveals what isn’t visible at first glance. After gathering plants in the garden of the Commanderie Saint-Jean, you’ll compose your own artwork and leave with your creation!
Participation terms: capacity capped at 15 participants - for ages 7 and up - Free | Reservations required - 0160897782
Timings: Sunday, June 7, 2026 - 11:00 ⤏ 12:00, 2:00 PM ⤏ 3:00 PM
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Dates and Opening Time
From June 6, 2026 to June 7, 2026
