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William Christie's Gardens
In the heart of the Vendée, a remarkable garden born out of William Christie's imagination...
In 1985, William Christie fell in love with an estate in Thiré, in the Vendée, where he set about creating a garden from scratch from the outset. Since that time, it is not one single garden, but a succession of spaces as remarkable as they are eclectic that he has dreamt up over the years, in a process of perpetual creation.
Inspired by the art of gardening as it was at its pinnacle in France and Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries, William Christie's gardens also aim to highlight the beauty of the Vendée landscape by bringing together a number of trees and plants specific to this region.
Today recognised as a "Remarkable Garden" and listed in the Inventory of Historic Monuments, this exceptional 12-hectare site is at the centre of the Arts Florissants project.
Practical information
Les Jardins du Bâtiment
Pedestrian access:
32 rue du Bâtiment - 85210 Thiré
NB: no parking on rue du Bâtiment.
Access by car:
32 route de Sainte-Hermine - 85210 Thiré (follow the signs as you enter the village)
Free parking
A garden rich in history
The adventure of William Christie's Garden began in 1985, when the conductor acquired a former Vendée dwelling in Thiré, flanked by a few plots of land. Up until that time, no garden had been imagined for this former farm. But that is precisely what the newcomer was looking for: a piece of land resembling a blank page, where he could create the garden of his dreams.
« It is an artist's garden. Whimsical, full of poetic license; it represents all the dreams I've had since I was 12 (...) When I think of this garden, I think of the music I love. »
(William Christie, The Sunday Times)
Important dates
William Christie acquires a property in Thiré, Vendée, consisting of a building (the Bâtiment) surrounded by 4 hectares of land. Construction begins.
William Christie's Garden is recognized as a "Remarkable Garden".
William Christie's Garden is listed on the "Inventaire supplémentaire des Monuments historiques".
The garden opens to the public.
First edition of the Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie.
William Christie donates his gardens to the Fondation Les Arts Florissants - William Christie, recognized as a Centre Culturel de Rencontre.