Departure excursions on Wednesday 11 September 2019 2 p.m. 54 Bd. Raspail, 75006, Paris:

• Chartres: COMPA + Cathedral + Diner Grand Monarque – 78 € (Maximum 50 participants)
• Versailles: Grignon Farm + Queen’s Hamlet (Hameau de la Reine) – 35 € (Maximum 50 participants)
• Bois de Vincennes : Jardin Tropical – 25 € (Maximum 50 participants)

To experience rural and urban history from a French perspective, we offer an afternoon programme with three different and inspiring tours.

We kindly ask you to indicate your selected activity during the registration process. Please note that all activities will have a surcharge as well as a minimum and maximum number of attendees. Transfers are included.

 Chartres

• COMPA : Conservatoire de l’Agriculture, agricultural Museum.
• Chartres Cathedral
• Restaurant Le Grand Monarque – Les Georges – One star Michelin.
• Chartres in Light’s (Chartres en Lumières)

 Chartres is a commune located about 90 km southwest of Paris. Chartres is famous world-wide for its cathedral. Mostly constructed between 1193 and 1250, this Gothic cathedral is in an exceptional state of preservation. It is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The majority of the original stained glass windows survive intact, while the architecture has seen only minor changes since the early 13th century.

Close to the Cathedral, the International Stained-Glass Centre (Centre International de vitrail), established in 1980, collaborates with the relevant scientific, cultural and professional organizations in order to promote the study and conservation of stained glass and the knowledge about, and contributes to encourage its contemporary forms of expression.

The visit includes the COMPA, Conservatoire de l’Agriculture, an agricultural Museum, and a diner in the Restaurant Le Grand Monarch- Les Georges, a “One Star Michelin” Restaurant.

Note: We will return to Paris around midnight.

• Minimum number of participants: 15 persons
• Maximum number of participants: 50 persons
• The cost for this tour is €78 per person and includes transfers, visit to COMPA and Cathedral, and the three meals at the Grand Monarque Restaurant.

Versailles

• The Queen’s Hamlet (Hameau de la Reine)
• Grignon Farm (Ferme de Grignon)

Versailles, le Hameau de la Reine:  Agronomy in the 18th century

The Petit Trianon, considered to be royal architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel’s masterpiece, is something of a manifesto for the neo-classical movement. Completed in 1768, this new royal residence was in fact an extension of the king’s passion for the botanical sciences: he was keen to have a home in the heart of the gardens to which he devoted so much of his time and which, by the time of his death, were among the most richly-stocked in Europe. Marie-Antoinette, received the Petit Trianon as a gift from Louis XVI in 1774. In this domain she created The Queen’s Hamlet. Constructed between 1783 and 1786 under the supervision of Richard Mique, it is an excellent example of the contemporary fascination with the charms of rural life. Inspired by the traditional rustic architecture of Normandy, this peculiar model village included a windmill and dairy, as well as a dining room, salon, billiard room and boudoir. Although it was reserved primarily for the education of her children, Marie-Antoinette also used the hamlet for promenades and hosting guests.

Grignon Farm: an experimental and environment friendly farm

The Grignon Farm is at the heart of Versailles’ prairie, agricultural area in the hilly landscapes with charming villages.

Grignon Farm depends on AgroParisTech, Grande Ecole of Agronomists.

Today there are about 200 cows, 600 sheep, 400 ha of cultivation and a dairy.

Around twenty employees work every day for the well-being of the animals, for specific crops and dairy products of high quality, all in respect of the environment. A methanizer is an element of their “positive energy program”.

• Minimum number of participants: 15 persons
• Maximum number of participants: 50 persons
• The cost for this tour is €35 per person and includes transfers, visit to the Grignon Farm + Queen’s Hamlet (Hameau de la Reine)

Jardin d’agronomie tropicale and Bois de Vincennes tour

The Jardin d’agronomie tropicale is situated in Nogent-sur-Marne, on the east side of the Bois de Vincennes, where colonial trial gardens and greenhouses were created in 1899, initially as an annex of the National Museum of Natural History. It was then attached to the Ministry of Colonies and the 1907 Colonial Exhibition built special pavillons to present French colonies to the public. The Jardin colonial rapidly became a centre producing scientific knowledge on tropical plants and organising specialised services for the agricultural exploitation in the French colonial empire, especially in Africa and Asia.

In 1902, the École nationale supérieure d’agriculture coloniale was placed here for educating specialists to be employed by the agricultural services and the private companies in tropical regions. Its library represents today the historical collection conserved by the Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD). The collection includes 8000 printed documents (monographs, surveys, official reports, conference minutes, and brochures), 600 journals, and 3000 photos. It focuses on farming and breeding, food production and agricultural markets, plant and animal disease, forestry and natural resources.

The guided tour will be the opportunity to visit the vestiges of the ancient Jardin colonial, and discover this rich collection specialised on tropical and mediterranean agricultures.

The guided tour will be the opportunity to visit the vestiges of the ancient Jardin colonial, and discover this rich collection specialised on tropical and mediterranean agricultures. The tour will then continue with a visit to the botanical garden (Parc Floral de Paris) in the north part of the Bois de Vincennes, in face of the Château de Vincennes.

• Minimum number of participants: 15 persons
• Maximum number of participants: 50 persons
• The cost for this tour is €25 per person and includes transfers by RER (Train)