Our podcasts tell you the essentials to know about Saint Germain Boucles de Seine. It is the soft voice of Béatrice, guide-lecturer and travel advisor at the Tourist Office, who will amaze you with her story and her knowledge of the destination!
Quickly discover the episodes of “B.A.-BA de Béa!” »
“Béa’s B.A-BAs”: Saint Germain Boucles de Seine podcasts!
Episode 1: The castle of Marly
The Château de Marly was the intimate residence of Louis XIV, where he liked to retire, far from the tumults of the Versailles Court. Built under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart in 1679, this palace with architecture similar to a theater set is surrounded by a magnificent garden where ponds and statues mingle evoking mythology and exalting the rural character of this residence.
Would you like to enter this garden and learn more about the history of this castle and the marvelous machine of Marly, which supplied the estate with water? You will have to visit the museum of the Royal Domain of Marly which will reveal all the secrets of this period.
Our group visits including the visit of the museum of the Royal Domain of Marly
Dans les pas de Louis XIV
More information on the website of the museum of the Royal Domain of Marly.
Episode 2: The Desert of Retz
The Desert of Retz is an Anglo-Chinese garden created at the end of the 18th century by the aristocrat François-Nicolas Henri Racine de Monville. He named it “Desert” to evoke these solitary places where, from the 17th century, people liked to withdraw and receive without label. Established in a 40 ha area located on the edge of the Marly forest, this park with its factories, its audacious viewpoints and its remarkable trees will enchant you!
Open from April to October, go to our online ticket office to find out all the dates of visits and booking methods!
Our visits for groups and companies in the Desert of Retz
Bonus Episode: André Derain
In the summer of 1935, André Derain (1880-1954) moved with his family to the Roseraie*, a pretty 18th century house located in the small village of Chambourcy, just a few kilometers from Paris.
For almost twenty years, he shaped there a colossal work presented today in the greatest museums in the world. But do we really know the many talents of this extraordinary artist?
With the Tourist Office we regularly offer you a conference-projection, followed by the presentation of the workshop, which will allow you to discover or rediscover this giant of the 20th century.
*Answer to the rebus published on Facebook on 03/04/2020.
Our group and company visits to the André Derain house in Chambourcy
Episode 3 – Dumas and the kitchen
The grandson of an innkeeper, Alexandre Dumas attaches great importance to cooking and is passionate about good chairs, which can be seen in many of his works. He also likes to receive and organize fabulous parties, in his house in Monte-Cristo during which he actively participates in the kitchen. To perfect his work and pay homage to the culinary art, he devotes a large cooking dictionary to it, where more than 3,000 recipes are told, classified in alphabetical order. His travels were sources of significant inspiration for the writing of some such as those of Trout à la montagnarde (Switzerland) or Macaroni à la Neapolitaine, without forgetting the Elephant’s Foot or the Bear Paws. To savor…
Episode 4 – Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun and Madame du Barry in Louveciennes
Madame du Barry, former royal mistress, and the official portraitist of Queen Marie-Antoinette, Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun met shortly before the French Revolution in Louveciennes. The painter went to her castle and depicted her on a plain background, her bust three-quarter length, wearing a straw hat and a simple dress. During the making of his portrait, no one could predict the fate that awaited them…
Le siècle des Lumières
Episode 5 – Claude Debussy
This time it’s Victoria, another of our “Béa”, who tells you the wonderful story of one of the illustrious characters of Saint Germain Boucles de Seine: Claude Debussy.
Born into a modest family in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, he developed a passion for the piano at a very young age and quickly developed his talents as a composer.
A lover of painting, travel and nature, this multifaceted artist composed 227 musical works that helped revolutionize the world of music at the dawn of the 20th century.
His birthplace is now a museum and includes many personal items of the artist, you can also visit temporary exhibitions related to the artist, as well as an auditorium during concerts.
The world of Debussy
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Famous people of the Boucles de la Seine
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Episode 6 – Camille Pissarro in Louveciennes
Precursor of the impressionist movement, Pissarro arrived in France, in the village of Louveciennes, in 1869.
Recognizable by his patriarchal face, his long beard and often wearing a hat, Pissarro liked to represent the green landscapes of the French countryside, whose flora contrasted with the landscapes he knew during his childhood in the Danish West Indies.
This man known for his kindness, regularly welcomed with his wife Julie Vellay, their friends such as a certain Monet and his family. To learn more about this incredible painter and his destiny crossed with Monet, listen to our podcast.
Episode 7 – Pierre-Auguste Renoir in Chatou
Renoir is an impressionist painter, known for many works including that of the “Lunch of the Boating Party” which he painted on the balcony of the Fournaise house, a famous guinguette on the banks of the Seine in Chatou. He liked to retire there with his muse Aline Charigot, far from the hubbub of Parisian life. This painting was bought by the art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel and presented at the seventh exhibition of the group of impressionist painters. Even today, painting diffuses this joy of living so specific to Renoir, then nicknamed “painter of happiness”.
Activities around Chatou and the Impressionists
Hameau Fournaise de Chatou and his exhibition "Renoir, the immersive experience"
Chatou
Dramatised tour: on stage at Hameau Fournaise
Chatou
Seine Cruise
Chatou
Atelier de peinture impressionniste
Chatou
Day tours
Les impressionnistes en Seine
Une journée à Chatou
Episode 8 – Renoir and Monet in Croissy
In 1869, Monet and Renoir worked side by side on the banks of the Seine. During this financially difficult period, in search of inspiration, they look for new patterns, new ways of applying color. It was in front of the rowdy guinguette de la Grenouillère at the time, that they carried out new experiments, on the characters, the treatment of water from the Seine. Giving birth to the Impressionism movement. The history of La Grenouillère is now visible in the eponymous museum within the grounds of Chanorier.
Activities around Croissy-sur-Seine
Our day trip
Circuit à Croissy-sur-Seine
Episode 9 – William Turner in Saint-Germain-en-Laye
“A tireless traveler, such was William Turner.” This former architect travels through Wales, England, Scotland and then crosses the English Channel to represent the European rivers. One of his most famous French watercolors is that of the Seine, seen from the Terrace of the Domaine de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, with on the right the Château-Neuf de Saint-Germain, where Louis XIV was born.
Les incontournables de Saint-Germain
Séminaire inspirant
Episode 10 – Alexandre Dumas at the castle of Monte-Cristo
We offer you a new podcast on the character of Alexandre Dumas and his castle of Monte-Cristo.
An architectural marvel, built by Hippolyte Durand, this residence recalls the presence of its owner in the many details that make it up.
Served by a multitude of servants, he liked to receive his friends there in large numbers, who mingled with the animals present. It was in this castle of yew, this outbuilding between waterfalls and rockeries, that he set up his studio for the creation of his colossal literary work.
