Jardin Potager du Château de Miromesnil

The Château de Miromesnil, where Guy de Maupassant was born in 1850, is located south of Dieppe, in Tourville-sur-Arques. Covering 10 hectares (25 acres), you will see an impressive beech grove, a park overlooked by a two-hundred-year-old Lebanese Cedar and, of course, the quaint vegetable garden. Designed 30 years ago, it combines French and English garden designs for a contrasting and surprising result.

On that afternoon, I explored the property where Guy de Maupassant was born almost two centuries ago. I drove there and parked in the car park along the parkland and could hardly see the manor house through all these dense trees. I took a wooded path and walked through a long corridor of trees that are lined with an impressive precision. The path leads to a vast green expanse, and on the left, the manor house! It is majestic, and I quickly spotted the bust of Maupassant. Behind the building stands the extraordinary beech grove. I could already feel the mood and atmosphere of the place, both peaceful and inspiring. I headed towards the gate leading to a small bridge that allows visitors to cross the moat. I was standing in the chateau's courtyard: the setting was enchanting... On my right, there was the reception building with chairs available. I took the opportunity to sit down to take a better look at the chateau. It is splendid and I was delighted to be able to contemplate it.

On my left, I thought I could see the entrance to the vegetable garden. There are brick walls surrounding it, which are covered with climbing plants. I was already charmed by the atmosphere. A small slate sign in the flowerbeds says "Welcome to the vegetable garden"! My first impression is clear: I was pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the place. Maybe it is due to the walls surrounding me, creating the feeling of being sheltered in a cocoon? Or maybe it is the range of colours that reminds me of my grandparents' pretty vegetable garden. What a heart-warming memory, I naturally felt in a familiar place. The vegetable garden is arranged with raised beds with a path in the centre of this geometric lay-out. Yet, I decided to walk along the walls and start by walking around the vegetable garden. I was especially attracted to the paving on the ground that led to a small wooden bench against the wall. I sat down again for a minute to take in the view. There, surrounded in and protected by beautiful plants, I drifted off into reveries with all these colours. How could I not be thrilled by this landscape? I stood up and walked passed the vegetable garden. The smells and fragrances reached my nose and guided me in my tour. I was really impressed by the contrasted arrangement of this room. The vegetables are neatly planted in a straight line. The flowers, on the other hand, seem to grow freely and to spread everywhere. It creates a harmonious whole where each element blends gracefully into the setting. At the back of the vegetable garden, I climbed a few steps and passed under a flower-covered arch. There, I found a promontory where I enjoyed a stunning view over the vegetable garden. Even from this height, I felt so small in front of this whole place that unfolds at my feet. I couldn't help but admire the beauty of the place that also enhances the château.

I left the promontory to continue my walk in the park. The tall trees provide shelter from the sun and I came face to face with an incredible Lebanese Cedar that towers above the park with its height. Underneath it, the grass is mowed geometrically with a diamond-shaped pattern. I experienced a moment out-of-time in the heart of this serene landscape. And this is how I ended this poetic visit.