Audio GuideParc de la Vallée aux Loups
Collection of around 2,500 plants in themed areas, including a fruit garden & an English garden.
Park
Châtenay-Malabry, France
Parc de la Vallée aux Loups offers a journey through centuries of art, nature, and literature. Created around the late eighteenth century by Chevalier François-Louis Durant du Bignon, the park later welcomed figures such as Louis Cadet de Gassicourt, a pharmacist to Napoleon, and the renowned writer François-René de Chateaubriand. Chateaubriand renamed the nearby estate La Vallée aux Loups, meaning "Valley of the Wolves," and his influence shaped its literary reputation.
The estate began as a private retreat and eventually grew into a public treasure. Originally built as a villa by a wealthy brewer, it became a writer’s haven complete with a tower called Velléda where Chateaubriand worked. Later expansions added the Montmorency wing and the La Rochefoucauld pavilion, which now welcomes visitors with a museum, library, and dedicated facilities.
Visitors explore themed gardens such as the English garden, fruit garden, and chestnut garden within the arboretum, home to approximately two thousand five hundred plants and more than five hundred woody species. A specialized collection of Convolvulaceae and a nationally recognized hydrangea garden enhance the botanical charm. The grounds feature a pond, an island, and bridges that contribute to the park’s serene atmosphere.
The rich cultural history comes alive with art exhibitions, portraits, and sculptures celebrating Romanticism.
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