Audio GuideIle Saint-Germain Park

The departmental park of Île Saint-Germain is a bustling urban green space located on an island in the Seine River, near Paris. In the late nineteen seventies, local officials and mayors joined forces to counter plans for an industrial port, opting instead to create a verdant escape that would reflect the community’s heritage. This pivotal decision led to the removal of thirty-five structures, transforming the area from an industrial zone into a sanctuary for nature and leisure.

Michel Hincker

The park's creation infused new life into the island through extensive landscaping and planting efforts. Approximately fifteen hundred trees and thirty-five hundred shrubs were introduced, rejuvenating the area's ecosystem and solidifying a cultural connection with nature. The scent of newly planted shrubs mingles with the gentle rustle of leaves and the sound of water at the educational pond.

Darine Darino

A significant cultural highlight is the Tour aux Figures, a landmark sculpture by Jean Dubuffet, standing proudly since nineteen eighty-eight. Celebrated for its daring design, this piece also symbolises the artistic revival of the island.

David P (Vidda75)

Visitors can wander through various themed gardens, each with its own narrative. The lavender garden offers a Mediterranean fragrance, while the wild garden showcases the unbridled beauty of nature. A garden with cloister-like tranquillity provides peaceful solitude, and a meadow garden presents vivid natural scenery. Additionally, a garden of monastic fruit trees and a spiral organic vegetable patch honour ancient gardening traditions, merging the realms of art and history. Local folklore suggests that the park’s metamorphosis is a testament to community strength and a celebration of inventive, eco-friendly living.

Monique Tenet