Folies hiss – wikipedia

THE Folies are a park set up between 1816 and 1830 in the field of Gérardière, at Cellier, near Nantes, by Maximilien Siffait (1780-1861), amateur architect, and subsequently by his son Oswald (1813-1877), botanist.

They have been registered as historic monuments since an order of July 22, 1992.

Long private property, the site became the property of the municipality in 1986 and then of the department of Loire-Atlantique in 2007.

The follies whistled seen from the left bank of the Loire

The whistling folies are a decorative garden organized in terraces and presented in the form of artificial ruins. These fake vestiges, originally of different colors, constitute a labyrinth of bases of tower and stairs which do not drive anywhere ^{[ first ]} . Niches, Balustrades, colored coatings, stairs, walls, towers, trompe-l’oeil, false ruins and hanging gardens ^{[ 2 ]} follow one another, with the basic material as a basic shale ^{[ 3 ]} . We can, from the site, benefit from panoramas on the Loire ^{[ first ]} .

Maximilian whistle [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

He was born on February 21, 1780 in Abbeville (Somme) into a family of merchant bourgeois. He is lulled by the accounts on the epic of Napoleon Bonaparte, 17 years old during the Italian campaign and 18 years old on the return from the Egyptian campaign ^{[ M 1 ]} . He joined customs administration. His Bonapartists convictions ^{[ M 1 ]} and the support of his father and grandfather, both become consuls ^{[ M 2 ]} , allow him in 8 years to go from the rank of clerk to that of Receiver General in Calais ^{[ M 1 ]} .

In 1806, he married Marie-Louise Françoise Jourdan ^{[ 4 ]} , with whom he had three children, Gabrielle in 1809 (but she died one year old), Jeanne-Louise in 1811 and Oswald in 1813 ^{[ 5 ]} . Restoration puts an end to his career, too dependent on his political convictions ^{[ M 1 ]} .

In 1815, he discovered Nantes and the edges of the Loire during a business trip with his brother ^{[ B 1 ]} Laurent Saint-Amand, merchant ^{[ 6 ]} . He decides to settle in the region and buy the cellar the manor of the Gérardière and the adjoining lands ^{[ B 2 ]} , perhaps out of desire to find a romantic place to live his love passion with his wife ^{[ M 1 ]} . As early as 1816, Maximilien Siffait engaged in self -taught architect in a site for the development of his property. He continued the work despite the death of his wife in 1819 ^{[ 7 ]} .

He entered the Cellier municipal council in the early 1820s ^{[ 8 ]} , while the mayor is Jean-François Le Masne. He was in turn appointed mayor of the cellar in 1822 ^{[ B 3 ]} . During his mandate, he is in conflict with the head of a large cellar family, the Baron Juchault des Jamonières, then owner of Clermont Castle, for a question of grabbing communal land. Note that his signature is: “whistling Jourdan” ^{[ 9 ]} . He continued the work until 1830, the year of the premature death of his 18 -year -old daughter ^{[ ten ] , [ B 4 ]} .

He ceases to be mayor of the cellar in 1830. During the summer, he protested the ouster of the sub-prefect of Ancenis and against the prospect of an appointment as mayor of the Cellier of Baron des Jamonières ^{[ 11 ]} . His mandate ends at the end of August or early September ^{[ twelfth ]} ; His successor is Pierre Saupin, previously assistant in charge of civil status. However, the Baron des Jamonières became mayor in 1832.

A little later, he left the cellar and moved to Ancenis. In 1836, he left oswald the responsibility of the Gérardière domain ^{[ 13 ] , [ M 3 ]} , which is not reduced by the rest to the folies hiss. He died in Nantes on November 25, 1861, aged 81, in the home of a friend, Édouard-Edmond Gouin ^{[ 14 ]} , without having remarried.

The development of the Gérardière domain by Maximilien [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Relief [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

The estate is formed by a schist plateau located forty meters above the level of the Loire, framed by the valleys of two streams which cut a triangular promontory. The Gérardière castle is at the base of the triangle. The promontory ends at its point with a very steep cliff overlooking the river.

The Loire shore is occupied by a towpath intended for the ban down, very active until the arrival of the railroad in the 1840s.

History of the field [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

These places were previously the location of a feudal castle. Around the year 800, Count Guy, which gives its name to the “Château-Guy”, benefits from a river toll installed on the Loire. The castle was abandoned in 1389, for the benefit of the castle of Champtoceaux ^{[ first ]} . At the beginning of XIX ^{It is} century, ruins are visible on the site, without knowing whether it is a simple toll building or the remains of a medieval dungeon ^{[ M 4 ]} .

Maximilian’s work was whistling [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Plan of the Folies Siffais site

Jean-Gabriel Bouchaud envisages these works as follows:

• The first step is the construction of the belvedere at the top of the Pointe du Promontoire, therefore an easy place to access, offering a beautiful view of the river; This type of development is also common in the Loire edge properties of this cliff country;
• The second step is the construction of a link between the belvedere and the river shore, in fact a succession of terraces and stairs ^{[ B 3 ]} . The whole has twenty-three cul-de-sac terraces. The walker is always taken to the main path. The whole is articulated around two axes which intersect at the level of a living room in the shape of a circle in the lower part of the site ^{[ M 5 ]} ;
• The third step (after the death of Marie-Louise) is the development of the upstream flank of the promontory; It is a less steep, but much larger area which must connect the manor to the Loire ^{[ B 5 ]} ; According to Jean-Gabriel Bouchaud, it is a question of creating an outdoor palace for future holidays, in particular that of 18 ^{It is} anniversary of Jeanne-Louise (in the summer of 1829). Unfortunately, in 1829, Jeanne-Louise was not healthy and no party took place ^{[ 15 ]} , then she died in early 1830, making all this vain job in the eyes of her father.

With regard to the construction process, Jean-Gabriel Bouchaud thinks that the site can provide abundance of building materials, mainly of the Ardish shale and gravel for the mortar. For the workforce, Maximilien whistled could have benefited from a cheap workforce, made up of half-spaces and idle peasants ^{[ B 6 ]} .

Oswald hiss, botanist of “folies hiss” [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In 1838, Oswald married Rosalie Anne Marie Lorette ^{[ 16 ]} , daughter of the mayor of Clisson ^{[ 17 ]} . In 1846, they had a daughter, Anna ^{[ 18 ]} . In 1870, she was married in Nantes Arthur Antonin Jhault des Jamonières ^{[ 19 ]} , and one of their four children was born in La Gérardière in 1876 ^{[ 20 ]} .

From 1841 to 1847, Oswald was in turn mayor of Cellier ^{[ 21 ]} . It is concerned, as mayor and as the owner of the Gérardière, by the arrival of the railway line connecting Angers to Nantes, which must be established on the towpath along the Loire.

Regarding the field, it is decided to apply colored coatings on the building walls ^{[ B 7 ]} , and to populate the site of Chinese pagodas, oriental kiosks ^{[ B 8 ]} and wax models. It was undoubtedly at this time that the site received the name of Folies , which accounts for the heterogeneous appearance of the park ^{[ B 9 ]} .

According to Jean-Gabriel Bouchaud, these decorative transformations are specifically due to Rosalie, seeking to mitigate the sadness contained in the initial construction.

Oswald whistling, keen on arboriculture, is attracted to botany. He also became president of the Nantes company of horticulture in 1848 ^{[ B 10 ]} . He draws the plant frame for artificial ruins by planting many essences: Araucaria, Catalpa, Cedles, Paulownia, etc. This arboreal contribution contributes to the beauty of the site ^{[ B 11 ]} .

The whistled later left the cellar for Nantes ^{[ 22 ]} , while retaining the property of Gérardière, at least until 1876. Rosalie Lorette died in Nantes in 1866, in their home located rue Paré ^{[ 23 ]} .

Oswald died on April 16, 1877 in Nantes in his home at number 6, Place Saint-Pierre ^{[ 24 ]} .

The decline of the site [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

The terraces of madness whistled with the railway line Tours-Saint-Nazaire below

In the 1840s, the railroad of the Angers – Nantes line was located on the towpath. A tunnel is pierced for crossing the tip of the promontory, but the lowest parts of the follies are destroyed ^{[ 3 ]} . On the other hand, rail traffic induces vibrations which harm the stability of the land ^{[Ref. necessary]} .

The site is abandoned for a century for a century, which allows vegetation to proliferate and partially damage constructions ^{[ 3 ]} ; Plant growth is favored by the South-East, sunny and sheltered situation of northern and western winds.

In 1944, three bombs reached the folies whistled during the bombing of the Oudon bridge ^{[ 25 ]} by the allies.

The notoriety of folies whistled from XIX ^{It is} At XX ^{It is} century [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Les Folies Siffait appeared, under this name, from the 1830s and 1840s in travel guides on the Loire ^{[ 26 ]} , which express a very negative reception:

• Voyage from Orleans to Nantes by the inexplicable of the Loire , 1839:

“You see the follies whistling, incomprehensible mixture of Gothic turrets, small lawns and terraces of all dimensions and all colors. This something without taste, which deserves the name that has been given to it, is an error of architecture and nothing more …. ”

• J. Forest, Voyage from Nantes to Orléans: Guide of the traveler by steam boat , 1845:

“After the castle of Clermont, come the follies whistling … We do not know what to say by thinking of everything we had to spend to do nothing beautiful or useful, except that it is is a work of Folies as indicated by its name … ”

• Prosper Sébire, Voyages on Nantes steam boats in Angers and Orleans , 1845:

“After Mauves, is seen … A bizarre assembly of small crenellated walls, real folies whistling to which it is distressing to see an added name as honorable. »»

The name “folies” is taken here in the usual sense, due to the ambiguity of the word which also has an architectural meaning: countryside residence, summer residence, very common in the Nantes region where many follies have been built by shipowners at XVIII ^{It is} century. The word “madness” is in this case a deformation of “leafy” ^{[ 27 ]} .

At XX ^{It is} century, there are different points of view, especially with Julien Gracq, from a fairly close town (25 km ), Saint-Florent-le-Vieil:

“Château exploded in the forest that he populates his fragments everywhere. »»

“In the little -known site of the whistling madness, I see the extension in dotted lines and as the ultimate point of the curve that the increasingly narrow -tied alliance with the lawn, since the end of the Middle Ages with the lawn, The grove, the pond and the tree by the art of building … I decipher there as the myth of the architecture finally delivered in pasture to the landscape. »»

Protection and restoration of folies hiss [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Les Folies Siffait were registered in 1942 in the inventory of sites ^{[ 29 ]} .

After the Second World War, taking into account threats of landslides, the SNCF buys part of the site in order to carry out consolidation work, not very aesthetic, but which still ensure the slowdown in the degradation of the whole.

The site is known locally; It serves as adventure fields for the inhabitants of Cellier, illegally, since it is a private property.

Rediscovery of the site [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

The rediscovery of the site at a wider level took place in the 1980s thanks to students and teachers of the Nantes school of architecture.

In 1984, Nicolas de la Casinière ^{[ 30 ]} publishes an article in the local press ^{[ thirty first ]} .

In 1986 ^{[ 32 ]} , the property of the site goes to the municipality of Cellier.

Studies with a view to catering [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Studies for the restoration are carried out in conjunction with the municipality of the cellar then led by Philippe des Jamonières, descendant of Anna whistle and Arthur des Jamonières. In 1986 a competition of ideas on the recovery of the site took place; In particular, Gilles Clément participates in the architect Patrick Berger.

The restoration bias is first of all that of a minimalist restoration, that is to say, not questioning the state of plant invasion. In fact this point of view cannot be preserved, because the vegetation has become dangerous for architecture. This will appear in particular during the 1999 storm, which killed several trees with large damage. But from the start of the site, a wall considered healthy collapsed for no apparent reason.

In 1992, Les Folies were registered as Historic Monuments by the decree of July 22 ^{[ 33 ]} .

In 1994, a municipal decree prohibits site access For safety reasons.

The restoration site [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

The catering site began in 1992. In a first phase, the company’s discovery, clearing and consolidation work carried out by the company take place Arcades of the Sillon (Jean-Louis Boistel).

From 1995 to 2002, the site was directed by the heritage architect Jean-Pierre Leconte: development of an external path in the East valley, reconstruction or consolidation of large peripheral walls, replacement of the high terraces balustrades.

5. The typion of the Chanti – Green day a dicey, I Aussice Architect Dame ^{[ 34 ]} : low terraces, visit route, closing grids …

Since 2007 [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In 2007, the ownership of the site passed from the municipality of Cellier to the department of Loire-Atlantique.

The site is only open during free guided tours offered by the Loire-Atlantique department on its website ^{[ 35 ]} .

Bibliography [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

: document used as a source for writing this article.

• Jean-Luc Flohic ( you. ), The heritage of the municipalities of the Loire-Atlantique , vol. 1, Charenton-le-Pont, Flohic Éditions, 1999 , 1383 p. (ISBN  2-84234-040-X ) .
• Jean-Gabriel Bouchaud , The folies whistled: an empire for a young lady , Nantes, Coiffard, 2000 , 81 p. (ISBN  2-910366-24-3 ) .
  Interesting work, but very literary: in the absence of any precise reference, one can often wonder if the author is transcribing a documentary source, interpreting from real elements or letting go of his imagination. A particularly surprising statement, page 60: “(Maximilien) is fixed, to finish his days, in Auxerre. »; He also seems to place his death in 1833. So does not constitute a 100%reliable source.
• Alain Marry and Jean-Pierre Leconte , The folies whistling garden of the imagination , Nantes, Coiffard, 2009 , 160 p. (ISBN  978-2-910366-93-3 ) .
  This work avoids literary developments, but sometimes lacks specific references and dates; Well documented on the rediscovery and catering aspect.
• Marie-Paule Halgand and Jean-Luc Le Mancq, Les Folies Siffait: Decoration Garden, Similar Garden , Nantes, 1987
  This is a scientific relationship made by two teachers from the Nantes school of architecture (quoted in the previous work)
• Jean-Pierre Leconte, article ^{[ 36 ]} In Bulletin of the Brittany History and Archeology Society 1999 (same).

Related articles [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

external links [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• Alain Marry and Jean-Pierre Leconte , The folies whistling garden of the imagination , 2009 (see in the bibliography)