Lardy: Garden Art, Parks and Hiking Route

Lardy can be planned around several distinct themes: the Art Deco garden of Parc Boussard, Parc de l'hôtel de ville de Lardy as an English landscape park, and a hiking route from Gare de Lardy to Egly. There is also the option of an arts and crafts group visit with ceramist and artisan Marie-Caroline Lemans. This offers garden design, landscape, hiking and clay work as different focuses for a trip to Lardy.

Garden Art at Parc Boussard

Parc Boussard is a rare example of an Art Deco garden. The architect Joseph Marrast designed it from 1925 to 1927. Its design includes terraces, canals and pools, as well as boxwood spheres and rose beds. These elements can be viewed as an interplay of levels, water and planting: terraces structure the grounds, while the canals and pools, together with the named plants, provide further design elements. If you are interested in garden history, you can consider these details alongside the design period rather than viewing the Art Deco designation in isolation. The Parc received the “Jardin remarquable” designation in 2024 and has been listed as a historic monument since 1997. The dates refer to different designations: 1925 to 1927 marks the design period, 1997 the listing as a historic monument, and 2024 the award.

A Different Character of Park

Parc de l'hôtel de ville de Lardy is a six-hectare English landscape park bordering the Juine. Compared with Parc Boussard, it has a different focus: the park type, its area and its connection to the river stand alongside Boussard’s Art Deco garden and its specific design elements. The difference is not about which park is better, but about which kind of design interests you: a rare example of an Art Deco garden or an English landscape park with a riverside setting. This allows you to compare the two parks based on their different features.

Hiking Route from Lardy to Egly

From Gare de Lardy, the hiking route first follows the GR1 to Bois de Baville; it then continues along the GR655 E to Egly. Bois de Baville is therefore the transition point between the two sections, where the route designation changes. When planning the route, note both sections in this order. Check trail conditions and markings before setting out. This lets you include the described route, with the change from the GR1 to the GR655 E, in your plans.

Ceramic Art for Groups

During a group visit in Lardy, guests can experience the work of ceramist and artisan Marie-Caroline Lemans, as well as demonstrations of wheel throwing and other clay-forming techniques. The focus is on the artist and her craft; the demonstrations cover wheel throwing and other methods of shaping clay. If you are considering this activity for your group, check before your trip whether a visit and demonstrations are available.

Discover more destinations: Quincy-Sous-Sénart, Évry, Varennes-Jarcy, Etampes, Morangis, Bouville, Soisy-Sur-École, Sainte-Geneviève-Des-Bois.

For the overview of the wider region: Essonne.