Avenue de l'Europe sketches the third branch of the urban crow's foot that makes up Versailles. A monumental classical order has imposed its pattern over time upon the avenue and park pathways and its large alignments of trees. Along the Versailles avenues there also existed, and many remain, large gardens of various institutions and private mansions whose abundant and often informal vegetation contrasted with the uniform composition of these avenues and park pathways. Witnesses to how Versailles has anchored itself in its territory, these settings are characteristic of the city. The contrast between these elements of “domesticated forest” and the classical traces makes up a most important part of the identity of Versailles. Vestiges of a domesticated forest, over which urban spaces and naturalistic elements have been superimposed.

Our proposal focuses on giving the urban block of Avenue de l'Europe the specific status of a garden in order to reestablish the compositional hierarchy of a trident for Versailles, and in particular to provide this essential urban axis of the life of the city with quality and a strong character. While meeting the needs of traffic flow, and planning parking lots and auditoriums and theaters, the focus lies in the creation of a large garden that will powerfully transform the city center's image, while respecting and preserving its essence.