European Heritage days 2023

For the 2023 edition of the European Heritage Days, the Fondation Les Arts Florissants - William Christie invites you to a series of discoveries in the village of Thiré (Vendée, Pays de la Loire):

Visit William Christie's Gardens

This unusual artist's garden, listed in the Monuments Historiques inventory and recognized as a "remarkable garden", has become a must-see for all garden and arts enthusiasts. On the occasion of the European Heritage Days, guided tours by gardeners and specialists will be offered, as well as plant pruning demonstrations.

Open September 16th and 17th, from 10 am to 6:30 pm
Guided tours: 11h*, 14h30 and 16h30
Pruning demonstration: 4pm
32 rue du Bâtiment (public parking lot at 30 route de Sainte-Hermine) - 85210 Thiré
Entrance fee: €5

* This tour will be followed by a visit to the parks and gardens of the Quartier des Artistes, in the heart of the village.

Educational vegetable garden: Le Clos des Plantes à feuilles parfumées

Inaugurated during the 2023 Festival Dans les Jardins de William Christie, this intriguing and unusual educational kitchen garden is the latest creation of botanist Baptiste Pierre. You will discover there a hundred varieties of astonishing foliage, with fragrances that are sometimes familiar, sometimes strange and bewitching... Come and see it before this ephemeral garden disappears!

Open September 16 and 17, 10 am to 6:30 pm
Educational tours: from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm
Garden Café, 4 rue du Bâtiment - 85210 Thiré
Free admission

Photo exhibition: "Land and sky lines, the Vendee in landscapes" by Lionel Hug

It was through observing nature that photographer Lionel Hug discovered his path and his taste for photography. After gaining experience in the worlds of fashion, the press and show business, this native of Arles settled in Thiré, in the Vendée, where he is now developing a singular artistic vision that has led him to collaborate regularly with the Les Arts Florissants Foundation, taking numerous photos of William Christie's Gardens. This exhibition, conceived as a "carte-blanche", brings together shots of Thiré and the surrounding countryside to showcase the beauty of this territory. 

September 16th and 17th, from 10am to 6.30pm
La Salle de Bal, 8 rue de la Fontaine - 85210 Thiré
Free admission

Educational presentation of piano restoration

Cancelled for health reasons

Cyril Fortin, manufacturer and restorer of fortepianos and clavichords, invites you to discover his craft from the angle of its relationship with its raw material: sound. He will show you everything that makes a piano resonate: pegs, strings, soundboard demonstration... This presentation will also be an opportunity to discover William Christie's personal piano, a Victorian John Broadwood and Sons "Drawing Room Short", restored by Cyril Fortin. In collaboration with ITEM in Le Mans. 

And don't forget that for the European Heritage Days, the Garden Café will be exceptionally open for lunch and drinks!

4 rue du Bâtiment - 85210 Thiré