Parc de Saint-Cloud

The location of the Chateau is marked by the yew trees

The Parc de Saint-Cloud, officially the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud, is a domaine national (federal territory), located mostly within Saint-Cloud, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, near Paris, France.

The park, which covers 460 hectares, was a nature reserve until 1923. It is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe, and in 2005 the park was awarded Notable Garden status. On 9 November 1994 the park was classified as a Historic Monument. In 1999 a winter storm heavily damaged the park's forests. As of late 2008, restoration efforts were still underway. The park is operated as a domaine nationale under the French Ministry of Culture.

History

The park is located on the site of the Château de Saint-Cloud, a residence of royal and imperial families from the 16th century. After Napoleon III declared war on the Prussians, the site was occupied by a Prussian force which used the high outcropping to shell Paris. Counter-fire from the French caused the building to burn on 13 October 1870. The structure was completely razed in August 1892.

Only a few outbuildings remain from the original structure. The park contains a Le Nôtre-designed garden in the French style, an English garden, and Marie Antoinette's rose garden.

The park showcases a panoramic view of Paris called "La Lanterne" or the "Lantern of Demosthenes".

A panorama taken from the La Lanterne viewpoint, overlooking Paris and its suburbs

Nothing Compares 2U

The video "Nothing Compares 2U" by Sinéad O'connor was filmed in this park. The clip consists almost solely of a closeup on Sinéad O'Connor's face as she sings the lyrics, sometimes with angry expression; the rest consists of her walking through the Parc de Saint-Cloud.

Buildings and points of interest

View with the Montparnasse Tower

A Medici lion sculpture in the parc (of unknown origin).

• Musée du château de Saint-Cloud: A five-room museum dedicated to the destroyed chateau
• École Normale Supérieure (E.N.S.): Located in the Pavillon Valois
• Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (B.I.P.M.): The International Bureau of Weights and Measures is located in the Pavillon de Breteuil; the building contains copies of the meter and kilogram standards.

Access

The park is accessible via Pont de Sèvres and Boulogne - Pont de Saint-Cloud metro stations. The T2 tramway runs along the eastern limit of the park.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Parc de Saint-Cloud.

• History of Saint-Cloud (French)

Coordinates: 48°50′15″N 2°12′53″E / 48.83750°N 2.21472°E / 48.83750; 2.21472