LE COMITÉ DES PARCS ET JARDINS DE FRANCE (C.P.J.F.)
France

The Committee of French Parks and Gardens (Le Comité des Parcs et Jardins de France) groups five national associations including Historical Dwellings and Old French Houses as well as 25 regional and departmental associations for the defense and promotion of parks and gardens.

The activities of the C.P.J.F. and its members are dedicated to private parks and gardens which are remarkable due to their history, composition, botanical interest and artistic quality.

In collaboration with the affiliated associations, C.P.J.F. attempts to a) define the specific needs of private owners and directors of parks and gardens; b) determine the right means of protecting, restoring and maintaining such parks and gardens; and c) make them generally known in France and abroad.

Finally, the mission of the C.P.J.F. is to represent the affiliated associations dealing with figures in the public administration and national and international organizations.

NEWS: The storms and the private historical patrimony:

On December 26th and 27th, 1999 two extremely violent storms ripped across France. They caused considerable damage both to the forests and to the historical patrimony.

In the 12 regions struck by the storm, the buildings of the private historical dwellings suffered damages especially on their roofs and on their landscaped parks: the damages included trees broken or ripped out of the ground, surrounding walls having been knocked down and moats, orange groves, green houses and outbuildings destroyed.

The reparation of these damages means that the owners have to carry out, often urgently, a massive amount of work: cutting up the trees, digging out the stumps, carrying the wood out of the forest, fixing paths, surrounding walls, outbuildings, etc., after which there is the replanting and rebuilding of the park in order to restore its original condition.

The magnitude of this task involves the owners having to deal with the colossal problem of finding both qualified manpower and the necessary financing.

In spite of the difficulties they have to face, the private owners have gained their courage and are trying to restore the damaged landscaped parks before the opening of the visiting season of the year 2000 in order to offer normal conditions to the public.