| Dates | 20 September to 26 September 2026 |
| Location | Paris and the Plant Fair at Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard |
| Tour organiser | Catherine de Bourgoing |
| Difficulty rating | Level 2: Easy with mostly longer walks, and occasional uneven ground |
| Max. participants | 25 |
| Tour status (July 2026) | The tour is now full, with a waiting list |
Send to: Catherine de Bourgoing
Send to: Catherine de Bourgoing
Send to: Catherine de Bourgoing
Paris has always been an exciting city for visitors.
Among its remarkable museums and monuments it has many historical interesting parks. It would take more than a week to visit them all. We have selected the princely garden of Bagatelle and the Arboretum de Paris at Vincennes. The tour will take us to Versailles and its arboretum, the famous arboretum of the Vilmorin family, a park owned by the writer Chateaubriand, two IDS members’ private gardens, and the lovely seventeenth-century water garden of the Château de Courances.
We shall attend the Plant Fair at Saint-Jean de Beauregard on the last day.
The hotel is in Paris, close to a tube station (Métro), with a safe car park.
Arrival in Paris, meet at the hotel for a welcome drink and evening dinner
Paris © arhoteles.com
Morning
Parc de Bagatelle, Paris
The small Château of Bagatelle was built in just 64 days following a bet between Queen Marie-Antoinette and her brother-in-law the Comte of Artois. The initial formal gardens surrounding the chateau were expanded and designed in a very fashionable Anglo-Chinese style. It is now run by the City of Paris. Quite a number of remarkable trees have survived and the rose garden shows 1200 different species. Bagatelle has never stopped increasing its remarkable arboretum.
Parc de Bagatelle © D.R.
Afternoon
La Celle-les-Bordes, La Celle-les-Bordes
This private property is owned by an IDS member, la marquise de Lézardière. She inherited interesting shrubs and trees planted by previous generations and she is adding her own input with talent.
Morning
Courances estate, Courances
The seventeenth-century chateau is famous for its park, a remarkable example of a water garden, considered as one of the most beautiful in France... No fewer than fourteen springs flow into the seventeen water features in the estate! Equally superb and interesting is the Japanese garden, created by the Marquise de Ganay.
Courances © frenchaffaires.com
Japanese garden at the Château de Courances © My de Sortiraparis
Afternoon
Arboretum de Paris, Vincennes
Founded in 1936, the arboretum is located at the edge of the Bois de Vincennes (starting in Paris’s 12th arrondissement and extending to the suburbs). Over the years, this ‘living museum’ has grown and includes 1200 trees of 800 different species. New trees are planted annually, as well as rare species.
Arboretum de Paris © lasourisglobe-trotteuse.fr
Morning
Arboretum de Versailles-Chevreloup, Versailles
This huge (200 ha) and stunning arboretum is part of the royal domain of Versailles. A remarkable collection.
Arboretum de Versailles-Chevreloup © MNHN S.Gerbault
Afternoon
Albert Kahn’s Gardens, Boulogne
Albert Kahn bought the property in 1893 and began this amazing garden covering four hectares and including a range of styles including an ‘English garden’, a ‘French-style garden’, and perhaps most famously a ‘Japanese garden’. The stunning Japanese garden is part of a ‘Japanese village’ created from buildings dismantled and reassembled after a visit to Japan.
Albert Kahn’s Gardens, Boulogne © My de Sortiraparis
Morning
Arboretum Vilmorin, Verrière-le Buisson
This arboretum is located on the site of a former hunting lodge of King Louis XV. It was acquired in 1815 by Philippe-André de Vilmorin who transformed the grounds into a collection of trees and shrubs from around the world as missionaries and explorers were sending him their specimens. Today the arboretum still belongs to the Vilmorin family who have created a scientific committee. It has some 2,280 identified species, with major collections that are constantly renewed.
Cedrus libani planted in 1815 by Philippe-André de Vilmorin in 1815 © D.R.
Afternoon
La Vallée-aux-Loups, Châtenay-Malabry
This estate located in the close suburbs of Paris is a historic park often called Parc Chateaubriand. It is renowned for its English-style garden, remarkable trees, and the house of the Romantic writer Chateaubriand, which is now a museum. It offers a peaceful setting, combining nature and heritage.
La Vallée aux Loups © Dilk@
Morning
Plant Fair at Saint-Jean de Beauregard, Saint Jean-de-Beauregard
This event taking place on the beautiful grounds of an eighteenth-century château is a must-visit for anyone passionate about the world of plants and gardening. It is dedicated to the exceptional work of the finest nursery growers and artisans in the garden industry.
La Fête des Plantes de Saint-Jean de Beauregard © bottin-mondain.fr
Afternoon
Jardins de Fréville
A botanical park created in 2000 by an IDS member near the Rambouillet forest : Rhododendron, Betula, Quercus, Liquidambar, Acer, Hydrangea and conifers.
Jardins de Fréville © Gilles Schnebelen
The tour will conclude after breakfast
| Location | Paris and the Plant Fair at Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard |
| Tour dates, arrival | Sunday 20 September 2026 |
| Tour dates, departure | Saturday 26 September 2026 |
| Tour organiser | Catherine de Bourgoing |
| Availability | The tour is restricted to 25 participants |
| Accessibility | Walking difficulty and access: 2 |
| Tour costs | €2,500 per person (based on two people sharing) |
| What’s included? | Hotel accommodation, all meals, wine at dinners, scheduled excursions, guides, entry fees and tips. |
| What’s not included? | International flights, supplementary drinks beyond wine at dinner, travel insurance, personal tips, souvenirs etc. |
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