Landscape architecture in France
France has a long tradition of landscape architec-
ture. The famous seventeenth-century parks cre-
ated by André Le Nôtre form an important heritage,
which is reflected in today’s landscape architectural
practice.^1 Some contemporary projects are as large
as the enormous parks of the seventeenth century,
but landscape architects no longer design royal
parks; instead their work is found in industrial areas,
residential quarters and even in motorway service
stations.
Since the 1970s, a stream of influential figures
has given the French landscape profession a face:
Chemetoff, Clément, Corajoud, Coulon, Lassus,
Provost, Sgard, Simon, Vexlard, and many more.
Well known outside their country of origin, they
have also contributed to the development of land-
scape architectural theory and to the education of
several generations of landscape architects.^2
Influenced by their teachers and the projects of the
1970s and 1980s, such as the creation of the new
suburbs ‘Les Villes Nouvelles’ and the pioneering
rehabilitation of some areas in Paris including Les
Halles and the Parc de La Villette,^3 young land-
scape architecture offices are now making their
own mark upon the landscape. They are commis-
sioned in advance of development, to anticipate the
consequences and undertake sound site planning,
rather than waiting until the errors of urbanisa-
tion and the implantation of infrastructure become
evident and demand to be camouflaged. These
young professionals seize the occasion to create
new landscapes and stimulate new users of their
sites. We can anticipate the end of the opposition
between planning and development, on one hand,
and landscape and environment on the other.^4 The
case study chosen for this chapter, the motorway
services at the Bay of Somme created by the HYL
(P. Hannetel, A. Yver, Ch, Laforge) practice in Paris,
is an example of this new approach.In France, landscape architects are employed in
both the private and public sectors. Moreover, inde-
pendent landscape architects often work in conjunc-
tion with the public service. There is an association
called APCE (Association des Paysagistes Conseil
de l’Etat), which is an association of advisers con-
sisting of a hundred experienced independent land-
scape architects. They are selected by competition
and employed by the State in an advisory capacity
for two and a half days per month.At a departmental level, CAUE (Conseils d’Archi-
tecture, d’Urbanisme et d’Environnement) provides
free advice to people who build for themselves. This
organisation also employs independent architects
on a part-time basis.France
Emma Jonasson