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The Gardener of Versailles
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The Gardener of Versailles: My Life in the World's Grandest Garden

Author Alain Baraton, Translated by Christopher Brent Murray

An “eccentric and charming” love letter to Versailles Palace and its storied grounds, by the man who knows them best—for gardening lovers and Francophiles (New York Times)

Tour Versailles’ 2,100 acres as its gardener-in-chief describes its fascinating history and his 40 years of living and working in the gardens.
 
In Alain Baraton’s Versailles, every grove tells a story. As the gardener-in-chief, Baraton lives on its grounds, and since 1982 he has devoted his life to the gardens, orchards, and fields that were loved by France’s kings and queens as much as the palace itself. His memoir captures the essence of the connection between gardeners and the earth they tend, no matter how humble or grand.

With the charm of a natural storyteller, Baraton weaves his own path as a gardener with the life of the Versailles grounds, and his role overseeing its team of 80 gardeners tending to 350,000 trees and 30 miles of walkways across 2,100 acres. He richly evokes this legendary place and the history it has witnessed but also its quieter side that he feels privileged to know: The same gardens that hosted the lavish lawn parties of Louis XIV and the momentous meeting between Marie Antoinette and the Cardinal de Rohan remain enchanted—private places where visitors try to get themselves locked in at night, lovers go looking for secluded hideaways, and elegant grandmothers secretly make cuttings to take back to their own gardens.
 
A tremendous bestseller in France, The Gardener of Versailles gives an unprecedentedly intimate view of one of the grandest places on earth.

About The Author

Alain Baraton is the best-selling author of many books on gardening and the host of weekly gardening programs on French radio and television.

  • Publish Date: February 11, 2014
  • Format: eBook
  • Category: Gardening - Landscape
  • Publisher: Rizzoli Ex Libris
  • Pages: 296
  • US Price: $13.99
  • CDN Price: $26.95
  • ISBN: 978-0-8478-4270-4
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Reviews

“Charming . . . Mr. Baraton is delightful when describing his daily routines—he talks to his trees and has pet names for many of them—and as a writer he is a master of what might be termed the inarguable Gallic utterance…but for a hands-on perspective and sheer fun, Mr. Baraton can't be beat.”
—Wall Street Journal

“What an eccentric and charming memoir . . . Baraton has been gardening at Versailles for nearly 40 years. He knows every vista, every bosquet, every fountain on its 2,100 acres. Baraton’s book is sweet and breezy.”
—New York Times

“ . . . a delightful memoir of more than 40 years of living and working there…Baraton’s book is the best kind of travel experience: a chat with a local.”
—Chicago Tribune

“Baraton shares the memories of more than 40 years of living and working in the gardens. He is an engaging raconteur who tells his story with humility and a delightful sense of humor . . . Whether you enjoy reading of history or gardening or simply take pleasure in the memoir of someone who is passionate about his craft and finds gratification therein, I strongly recommend The Gardener of Versailles: My Life in the World’s Grandest Garden . . . Baraton tells us that, distilled to its essence, what makes a good gardener is joy.”
—Paris Arts Travel

“An exquisite storyteller . . . Baraton has filled his book not only with interesting historical details and human stories of the royals who walked the grounds but with insightful, contemporary tales of wise coworkers and eccentric visitors . . . Practically required reading for garden travelers, gardeners, history fans, and even memoir buffs. Readers will wish more of his books were available in translation. Delightful.”
—Library Journal, starred review
 
“[A] fascinating memoir . . . an intimate and visceral look into his complicated relationship with one of Europe’s most astonishing public gardens . . . It is a telling glimpse of the challenge, consolation, and occasional horror of overseeing a place of magic.”
—Publishers Weekly

“He is an engaging story-teller who has written many books on Versailles, but this is the only one available in English . . . If you have visited Versailles, this book will remind you of that gorgeous setting. If you have not, it will inspire you to do so with the help of Baraton’s suggestions for a perfect tour.”
—Chicago Botanic Garden
“Versailles head gardener and TV host Baraton reflects on his three decades tending some of the most beautiful gardens in the world: Simply but thoroughly, the author narrates the history of Versailles, from the days of Henry IV sneaking off to these woods to hunt to the days of the revolution. The author philosophizes about the ability of gardens to provide space for deep reflection, and he writes poetically about the beautiful power of the grounds he tends. He also provides some practical advice-e.g., the best places for a lovers' tryst. In addition to paying tribute to the work of these innovators, Baraton also looks at the various films that have been filmed on the grounds, storms that have battered them, and the effects of each season on the flora and fauna. The descriptions of the various sites on the grounds could only come from a man fortunate enough to have lived on and loved the site for almost 40 years.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“In his capacious, generous memoir, Baraton beautifully renders the intersection of personal memories with French history and botanical splendors . . . Darker moments, from the aftermath of a storm to suicides, balance the portrait of a place marked as much by seasonal change as by an irresistible mythology.”
—Foreword Magazine

“A bestseller in France, this charming memoir offers an intimate account of life at one of the world’s grandest gardens . . . A treat for horticulture buffs, this appealingly self-deprecating account weaves together Baraton’s own story with that of the historic parterres and groves he so lovingly tends.”
—France Magazine

“Whether you enjoy reading of history or gardening or simply take pleasure in the memoir of someone who is passionate about his craft and finds gratification therein, I strongly recommend The Gardener of Versailles.”
—BonJour Paris

“ . . . a unique treasure . . .  the real experiences and thoughts of someone who has worked (and lived!) on the grounds of Versailles add a personal touch that can't be achieved in a simple photobook or even general history of the palace and gardens . . . a must for anyone with an interest at a more personal look at Versailles.”
—Vive la Queen