2019 PRESS PACK GARDENS AND SCULPTURES - Château de Vullierens
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
GARDENS AND SCULPTURES 2019 PRESS PACK
CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS
Contents
3 History
4 The gardens
12 The sculptors
22 The wines
THE ESTATE –LIVING HISTORY THE GARDENS– UNIQUE IN SWITZERLAND
In the Bovet de Mestral family for over 700 years Over 30 hectares 24 Café des Jardins
A magnificent 18th-century construction 400 varieties of iris, the largest collection in Europe,
100 hectares of grounds plus daylilies, roses, tulips, peonies, rhododendrons… 25 Portes des Iris
8 hectares of vineyard producing 4 wines : Chasselas, 7 themed gardens
Themed walks : roses, centennial trees, architecture 26 The Gift Shop
Pinot Noir, Gamaret-Garanoir, Gamaret-Garanoir Rosé
27 Visitor information
PRESS ENQUIRIES:
THE LOCATION– BEYOND COMPARE ART – AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE Sophie Bertorelli :
20 minutes from Lausanne, 40 minutes from Geneva 72 contemporary artworks 021 869 88 80
Views onto Lake Geneva, the Alps and Mont Blanc 19 sculptors sophie@portesdesiris.ch
The largest collection in Switzerland
Some unprecedented in Switzerland Nicole Kate Roduit :
Monumental sculptures 076 509 34 33
nk@nicolekate.ch
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH 2
HISTORY
A family heritage, part of Swiss history
THE FIRST CHÂTEAU Through marriage and inheritance, Vullierens ing, must have found the new architecture to Château de Vullierens presents a fine exam-
remained with the de Colombiers then went her liking as she stayed, and went on to give ple of the architecture of its period, not a sin-
The first record of the parish of Willerens, to the Allinges, until 1665 when it was giv- her husband 11 children. gle alteration having been made to its exterior
part of the barony of Cossonay, can be traced en to Henri de Mestral by sovereign decree. Naturally, such an event didn't go unnoticed since it was completed in 1712. Even the lay-
back to 1228. In 1308 Pierre de Duin was Since then, the estate has remained with the among the other ladies of the region. They out of the different rooms is unchanged. It is
granted permission to build a fortified house de Mestral family and its direct descendants. too were little enamoured of the uncom- also one of the few remaining illustrations of
with dwellings on the land, becoming its first The father of the current owner inherited the fortable fortresses where they spent their an authentic eighteenth-century seigneurial
lord. This imposing fortress, similar in struc- Château in 1950 from his mother, Georgina days behind heavy walls, in rooms where residence, still with its period tapestries and
ture to Château de Vufflens, was dominat- Bovet de Mestral. The Château as it stands daylight barely penetrated. And so, circa furniture. Indeed, Gabriel-Henri de Mestral
ed by a square tower with machicolations. today was built by Gabriel-Henri de Mestral, 1706, Gabriel-Henri de Mestral called on stipulated in his will that the Château's fur-
On his marriage to Guillermette de Duin, comrade-in-arms to Abraham Davel, who the same architect to draw up plans to trans- nishings were not to be dispersed.
Guillaume de Colombier took possession of was born in Pampigny in 1670. form Vullierens – with the condition that Château de Vullierens remains the de
the fortress, and the land remained the prop- certain features of the feudal castle remain, Mestral family home and is therefore not
erty of their descendants until the family line namely three towers (one was demolished open to the public.
was extinguished in the sixteenth century. In THE CHÂTEAU TODAY in the 1900s to open up the view onto Mont
1421 Vullierens became a banneret seigno- Blanc), that part of the ramparts supporting
ry, part of the bailiwick of Vaud, and was giv- Towards the end of the seventeenth century, the present-day terrace, and the outbuild-
en to Henri de Colombier, lord of Vufflens. news that a "little Versailles" was being built ings. The rest was demolished and the stone
in the region spread like wildfire. Legend has reused for the new building, which was fin-
700
it that when Charles de Chandieu's beautiful ished in 1712.
French wife set eyes on the dark and dank Equal care was afforded to the inside of the
castle intended as her future home, she Château. Tapestries were commissioned years in the same family
turned on her heels and swore she would re- from the prestigious Aubusson workshops
100
turn only when a new Château, comparable in France. Craftsmen from China were em-
to those of France, had been built. Anxious ployed to create exquisite wallpapers. The
to please his bride, Charles ordered that the decoration for one of the wood-panelled
old fortress be demolished and the pres- salons was also executed by Chinese artists. hectares in total
ent-day Château de L’Isle built to drawings Another salon was lined with beautifully em-
by a student of Mansart. His wife, on return- bossed Cordoba leather.
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 3
36,000 400
bluebells along the bridle path camassia
24,000 398
irises flowering in May varieties of iris
and June
14,000 300
years, the age of the tulip tree
late-blooming tulips and the Sequoia
13,500 250
SWITZERLAND'S daylilies flowering in June and July rhododendrons flowering in May
MOST SPECTACULAR 2,000 200
roses flowering in June and July peonies flowering in May
GARDENS 700 135
The Château's quiet splendour and the enchantment of its magnificent white and blue alliums varieties of daylily
gardens together form one of the country's most remarkable heritage
400 48
sites. The sumptuous gardens, unequalled in Switzerland, are framed
by stunning views of the Alps, Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva, and are
certain to delight garden enthusiasts together with admirers of art
and architecture. metres of bridle path varieties of rose
As well as one of the most modern iris collections in Europe with almost
400 30
400 different varieties, visitors can enjoy the regularly renewed land-
scapes of the different areas throughout the thirty hectares (75 acres)
of grounds. Between May and July, 50,000 flowers create a glorious
mosaic of colour, with more than 8,500 late-blooming tulips, a col- narcissus hectares of gardens
lection of peonies and rhododendrons, and an impressive rose garden.
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 4
THE FIRST IRISES year. Come 1955, she decided to open the tions were constantly updated – no doubt
garden to the public. indulging her own passion at the same time !
Since 1955, visitors have been welcomed to Over the course of the years, with each new Indeed, each trip back to the United States
the private gardens of Château de Vullierens season Doreen Bovet continued to assemble became a pretext to purchase elite new vari-
for the Floralies Iris Festival. what she insisted would be the only collec- eties selected by the most reputable growers.
The first five varieties of iris were planted in tion of its kind, acknowledged by specia- On Doreen Bovet's death, Gabrielle
1950 by Doreen Bovet, wife of Dr Bernard lists as one of the largest and most modern Martignier took charge of the gardens un-
Bovet de Mestral and mother of the anywhere in Europe. She placed orders til her retirement in 2004, after more than
Château's present owner. Strolling through with the leading hybridisers, and not just seventy years at the Château. Helped by
Vullierens' magnificent iris gardens, amidst in Switzerland. She was, for example, a re- Dr Bovet and his assistant Lucy Mercier, her
such a blaze of colour, it's hard to imagine gular customer at Schreiner's, a renowned future successor, she learned how to create
this was once nothing but wheat. Such a Swiss grower doing business in Oregon. hybrids. The Principality of Monaco even
spectacular transformation is all down to She imported American varieties that were featured two of the dozen or so new vari-
Doreen Bovet. Armed with boundless ener- unknown in Europe, and acclimated them to eties she introduced to the gardens on its
gy, patience and determination, she turned their new environment. postage stamps.
an ordinary field into a stunning garden and More than ever, innovation and diversity
a true work of art. are the hallmarks of Vullierens. Daylilies are
A native San Franciscan, in 1953 she came THE FIRST FLORALIES among the plants that now flourish in the
up with the idea of planting the grounds gardens. These lovely perennials tolerate
around the Château with her favourite Doreen had entrepreneurial flair too. She both drought and humidity, and are just as
flowers. She started small, choosing twelve launched the first Floralies to help fund the happy in partial shade as they are in full sun.
varieties including, aptly enough, Iris cost of maintaining the gardens and, real- They are resistant to disease and flower in
California. Little by little she added to the ising the importance of keeping pace with abundance. Some 13,500 of these wonderful
displays, introducing new varieties each modern tastes, ensured the flower collec- daylilies have been planted in the gardens.
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 5
THEMED GARDENS
Over the past decade, the present owner has DORIANNE'S GARDEN
put new energy into developing the gardens by
creating distinct areas within the grounds, and This garden was created in 2006 on a ter-
diversifying the collections with roses, tulips, race at the foot of the Château, and has no
peonies, rhododendrons and other blooms. equivalent anywhere in Switzerland. More
than 300 rose bushes have been planted
here, in a geometric pattern, in memory of
Dorianne Bovet. Doreen’s garden
Bands of yellow and red float on rivers made
from pieces of glass that catch the sun's rays. DARIA’S GARDEN DOREEN’S GARDEN
This year, for the first time, visitors can cross
through the garden and continue their stroll Daria’s Garden was created in honour of the What began as a typical eighteenth-century
along the Château's southern terraces, from present owner's sister, who adored flowers. vegetable garden supplying the Château's
where they can admire its architecture at close Eighteenth-century maps of the estate show kitchens was redesigned the following cen-
quarters and take in the view across the lake. that this area was once a popular walking tury as an English landscape garden. Almost
spot, planted with shrubs. Today's garden 400 varieties of iris, 13,500 daylilies, over
winds its way between the magnificent tu- 400 roses, white tulips and an impressive
lip trees to finish at the foot of the giant collection of peonies and mature shrubs
California redwood which, at 30 metres greet visitors. Some of these flower beds
high, watches over the grounds. have also been "planted" with sculptures
The garden comes alive each spring with by Manuel Torres, Étienne Krähenbühl and
the colours of recently-planted Inkarho Herbert Mehler.
rhododendrons, Japanese azaleas and mul- A laburnum-covered tunnel runs through
tiple varieties of peony. A gravel path runs the garden to the orangery, which follows
between the different displays, and offers a nineteenth-century design. Twelve exotic
visitors a breathtaking vista of Lake Geneva palms surround an ornamental basin in its
and, beyond the lake, the Alps. Rows of centre. Recently planted, palm trees grew
white double lilacs border the path, includ- in the courtyard of the Château in the nine-
ing the particularly fragrant Syringa vulgaris teenth century. A Rose Walk follows the
or "Madame Lemoine". old garden wall for over a hundred metres.
It leads into an open area, the setting for
Mireille Fulpius' installation.
Dorianne’s garden Daria’s garden
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 6
MUÑI’S GARDEN THE ENCHANTED WOODLAND
Colour and symmetry are the hallmarks Continue past the bluebells to the end of the
of Muñi’s Garden, which stretches for bridle path, and you arrive in The Enchanted
1,200 square metres. Three gravel circles, Woodland. Contrasting with the formal land-
eight metres in diameter, lead the way. At scaped gardens around the Château, this
the centre of each stands a monumental area is left to grow as nature intends. Follow
sculpture, framed by beds of philadelphus the path among the trees, certain of which
(mock orange) and fuchsias against a back- have been there for years, pause by the
drop of more than two thousand ivory white stream that flows into the pond and enjoy
"Weisse Berliner" tulips. Along the pathway, this haven of tranquility. Listen for the many
guiding visitors' steps, are more fuchsias species of birds that live here or enjoy the
and philadelphus. woodland plants that come and go with the
Pale lavender catmint, delicate white "Belle seasons. And don't be surprised to meet one
Etoile" philadelphus, English dogwood and of the Vullierens elves, sculpted by Sara H.
pink-flowered tree mallow bloom one after
the other, filling the air with their sweet scent
from the first days of summer. "Gracilis" and
"Gracilis Alba" Magellan fuchsias welcome
autumn with their scarlet, mauve and white
petals. Along with "Annabelle" smooth hy-
drangeas and "Vanille Fraise" panicled hy- The Secret Garden
drangeas, they brave the first frost.
SECRET GARDEN
This garden takes the name of Frances down a rustic path, old garden roses saturate
Hodgson Burnett's much-loved children's the air with their exquisite fragrance : "Blanc
novel, fuelled by her love of gardening and her Double de Coulbert", "Jacques Cartier",
equally fertile imagination. The sense of mys- "Rose de Rescht", "Stanwell Perpetual",
tery and enchantment instilled in both the "Hansa". Here, at the lowest point of the
book and the garden is reflected in Sara.H's garden, visitors can cross over the stream
five sculptures and in the two Trees of Life, that darts between Etienne Krähenbühl's
the work of ceramic artist Monique Duplain. meandering sculpture, L’Imbisse. The draw-
Step through the weather-worn wrought- bridge that once led to the medieval castle is
iron gate and breathe in the sweet perfume nearby. On the other side of the stream, tiny
of honeysuckle. Further into the garden Japanese primroses form whorls of colour.
are small copses of flowering apple trees, Further still, a dovecote unexpectedly glis-
guelder rose and wonderful ninebark with its tens : its mirrored doors catch the sun and
dark chocolate-coloured foliage. To the right, reflect light into the garden.
Muñi’s Garden The Enchanted Woodland by Sara H
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 7
BUNNY’S SHADE GARDEN (2018) that bloom with fairy shaped pointed flow- a favourite for the bumble bees who make a
ers, is Aquilegia, which float delicately over regular visit for pollen collection. This plant
This garden been designed as a show case their decorative foliage. has been used for medicinal purposes since
for shade loving plants. It is divided into No shade garden would be complete without the dark ages to the present day.The dramat-
4 sections, with a total of 730 m2. A wind- the feathery plumes of the fern family.Ferns ic Rheum palmatum also has its roots in the
ing path flows down the middle of this very are one of the earliest plants recorded in the healing. The earliest Chinese records of its
seasonal spectacle. The 1,320 plants, made plant world where many fossils have been medicinal use goes back to 2,700 BC.
up of 35 varieties, will provide a continuous found. The reliable Vinca major, has blue Some of the plants in this garden would have
interest of colour, texture and form from flowers that ramble along some path edges been grown throughout the history of the
April through October. This new garden will blending into plants such as Pulmonaria an- Chateau, for medicinal purposes.
hopefully inspire our visitors to plant areas of gustifolia ‘Azurea’ with its pink buds opening The little known and used, Astrantia major,
shade which normally would have been ne- to blue flowers. In early herbal medicine it will dance their pin cushion like white and
glected in their own gardens. was used to treat lung disease – hence the ruby flowers throughout the garden for most
The season starts with the Rose de Paques name.The hybrid pink Geraniums ‘Matu Vu’ of the season.
– the colours range from deep purple-black creates a harmonious and gentle filler linking An unusual addition to this garden is Cornus
to smokey pink. Followed by 2 types of the different elements of planting. canadensis, a ground cover cornus, with its
Dicentra with white and pink flowers resem- The assorted magical Digitalis purpurea give iridescent white flower bracts.
bling a heart shaped bell. Interesting stems height and profusion of colour and is always
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | |HISTORIQUE
THE SCULPTORS
| LES JARDINS
| THE WINES
| LES SCULPTEURS
| CAFÉ DES
|LESJARDINS
VINS | LE CAFÉ
| PORTES
DES JARDINS
DES IRIS
|PORTES
| THEDES
GIFT
IRIS
SHOP
| LA BOUTIQUE
| VISITOR
|INFOS
INFORMATION
PRATIQUES | 8
LES WALKS ROSE WALK
At Château de Vullierens we have roses by
the thousand. The wall of the old vegeta-
ble garden alone is planted with more than
four hundred. The Rose Walk gives pride of
place to this beautiful scented bloom. You'll
meet some surprising characters along the
way, from Gertrude Jekyll to The Generous
Gardner, as you stroll from garden to gar-
MEDIEVAL WALK den, from Dorianne to Doreen to the Secret
Garden. Our collection of more than two
Architecture and Heritage : a 360° tour of the thousand rose bushes in bloom makes a
Château spectacular sight – and a wonderful walk !
Welcome to this 360° discovery of Château
de Vullierens. Walk in history's footsteps,
from the thirteenth-century medieval vestig- TREE WALK
es to seventeenth-century French architec-
ture and contemporary art. The Château's gardens are home to some
Begin by zigzagging among the geomet- exceptional ancient trees. Meet these giants,
ric – and kinetic – rose beds in Dorianne’s certain of which tower more than forty me-
Garden. Continue with a stroll across the tres above us, along the Tree Walk. Fifteen
terraces, which are built on the walls of the different species are represented. The map
original fortress. Take time to contemplate of the gardens will help you locate these leafy
the imposing architecture and enjoy the ancestors, and tell you more about them.
stunning views across the old orchard, the Among the most impressive are the tulip
vines and the lake. tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) that was plant-
Carry on for a few metres, around the tow- ed in 1720 and is believed to be one of the
er, and admire what remains of the original oldest in Europe, and the giant redwood
construction. Travel seven hundred years (Sequoiadendron giganteum), the second-tall-
back in time by following the ramparts of the est tree in the gardens.
fortress that was built in 1308 by Pierre Duin. A recent study carried out in the United
Continue along the path and you'll come to Kingdom has scientifically proven the
a second tower, also part of the medieval for- positive effects of trees on human health.
tress. End with a stroll along the old moat, For example, a walk in the forest can leave
now a water garden. us feeling happier for up to seven hours
after. So don't feel shy about touching the
Please note that this walk is not suited to visitors trees or embracing them to benefit from
with limited mobility or in wheelchairs. their natural force.
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 9
FLOWERING Iris de rocaille
Dwarf iris
Iris des jardins
Tall bearded iris
Lys-hémérocalles
Daylilies
TIMES
Steingarteniris Garteniris Taglilien
Iris Sibiricas
Siberian iris
Sibirische
Schwertlilien
Iris de bordure
Border iris
Iris intermédiaires Halbhohe Bartiris Iris remontants
Intermediate iris Reblooming iris
Mittelhohe Iris Remontierende Iris
05 06 07 08 09
Tulipes blanches, Jacinthes bleues, rho- Roses, lavande, Hydrangeas, cosmos, Roses, nepeta,
tulipes mixtes, dodendrons, pivoines, coquelicots, lavatera, hosta. ornamental grasses,
érable japonais, alliums, laburnum, ca- hosta, pérovskie, cosmos, Indian lilac,
fritillaria, lilas, massia, clématites, digi- chèvrefeuille. Japanese anemone,
tales, népéta, azalées. Hortensien, Cosmos,
glycine. aster, rudbeckia,
Lavatera, Hosta.
hydrangeas, lavatera,
Roses, lavender, perovskia, honeysuck-
Bluebells, rhododen-
White tulips, mixed poppies, hosta, per- le, clematis.
drons, peonies, alliums, Roses, népéta,
tulips, Japanese ovskia, honeysuckle.
laburnum, camassia, graminées
maples, fritillaria, clematis, foxgloves, ornementales,
lilac, wisteria. nepeta, azaleas. cosmos, lilas des Rosen, Nepeta,
Rosen, Lavendel,
Indes, anémone Ziergräser, Cosmos,
Mohnblumen
Blaue Hyazinthen, Rho- du Japon, aster, Lagerstroemia Indica,
Klatschmohn, Hosta,
Weisse Tulpen, dodendren, Pfingstrosen, rudbeckia, Herbstanemonen,
Perowskia, Geissblatt.
Gemischte Tulpen, Allium, Laburnum, Cama- hosta, hortensia, Astern, Rudbeckia, Hos-
Japanischer Ahorn, ssia, Clematis, Fuchs- lavatera, perovskia, ta, Hortensien, Lavatera,
Fritillaria, Flieder, handschuhe Fingerhut, Hortensias, cosmos, chèvrefeuille, Perowskien, Geissblatt,
Glyzinien. lavatera, hosta. clématite. Clematis.
Nepeta, Azaleen.
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 10Le Roy
au
du Roi me
Lézard L es
ancêtre
s
THE KING LIZARD’S KINGDOM
grand panie
Le r
longue vu
La e 7 Les 2 amis
6
2018 novelties for families – King Lizard opens the doors of his kingdom to the visitors. Sheltered
from the trees, it shares its treasures and history with young and old. Le
e
s perl s du gé
a 4
5
nt
3
Born from a generous nature sculpted by time, a kingdom is revealed to children. At the bend 2 Pe
lez-
of a path under the secular trees, it tells the story of King Lizard. As if emotions and senses
moi
La
had been captured in their bark, dozens of trees facetiously hide the personality of more than
m
co
ds
tes ie
s e a u x mi l le p
1
7 characters. A world made of nature, to touch, to see, to listen and to feel. The King Lizard’s La
c o u ro n n e ... et les
personna
Kingdom is a tribute to the richness of a preserved nature that generously offers its treasures. Conception
Isabelle Mon et réalisation
tu les as ges,
trouvés
?
La
Carole Mon nier ga
rdie ée Les
nier n n e sa c r
Let your imagination and creativity run free and it will become your Kingdom.
Illustration tours
© Paco Aebe 1 2 3
rli
4 5
Texte
Tous droit 6 7
s réser
© Gaëlle Gyga vés
www.bthe x Zosso
1.ch
Réalisations
Sylvain Miaz en bois
Gérald Mon - Passion Forêt
nier
Graphism
e et
Estelle Hofe mise en page
r - stldesign
.ch
Le (sur)v
eilleur
Le borg
ne
L’espion
L’architec
te
Le Roi
Lézard
Le nez
L’oeil de
la forêt
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 11Paradigme
Paradigme is a 10 by 50 metre architec-
tural work that seems strangely out of
1,600
place amidst the classical surroundings of pieces of metal in Etienne
the Château de Vullierens gardens. It first Krähenbühl's Bing Bang
appears as a chaotic and complex monu- sculpture
mental labyrinth, the first view of which is
an imposing 100 sq m wall. Next comes an
exuberant forest, created from a heteroge-
nous assembly of spruce joists. A narrow
tunnel cut through an entanglement of
80
branches leads towards an enormous, bare sculptures
cylinder stretching up to the sky. This poet-
24
ic construction was inspired by the skilfully
assembled ‘bowers’ which the male bow-
erbird builds out of twigs, in the hope of
attracting a mate.
sculptors
6
new sculptures introduced in 2019
Mireille Fulpius – Paradigme 7
metres high, the tallest installation
by Christian Lapie
GIANTS OF Artist biographies
THE ART WORLD MIREILLE FULPIUS (2015)
Visual artist Mireille Fulpius was born in she rediscovered wood, which was to become
Art's arrival in the gardens at Château de Vullierens coincides with Geneva on February 2, 1951. As a young grad- her material of choice – a turning-point in her
the present owner's marriage to Dorianne Destenay, herself a painter. uate of the Visual Arts School in Geneva, she artistic practice. For the past two decades,
Her idea to start a collection of sculptures was confirmed after seeing spent her first ten years as an artist working Fulpius has been producing large outside
the work of Manuel Torres. Today, more than sixty sculptures by Swiss with metal, changing her working methods structures, each unique, which she describes
and international artists are shown throughout the gardens, with new and spatial reference points when she was as reservoirs of energy, in constant dialogue
pieces added each year. given the chance to set up a studio in a dis- with the energies contained within the natu-
used industrial building. This was also when ral rhythms of the environment.
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 12BEVERLY PEPPER (2015)
My Twist
Beverly Pepper is still producing art at over Beverly Pepper honours the gardens with her My Twist
sculpture, and in doing so has fulfilled the owner’s
90 years of age – and couldn't imagine her dream to exhibit one of her works at Vullierens. Not
life any other way. Such persistence has led only is this the first time a female artist has exhibited
to frequent comparisons with her two peers, in the gardens, it is also the first time My Twist has
Louise Bourgeois and Louise Nevelson, but been brought to Switzerland ! Pepper's works make
great use of curves and Corten steel, whose rich hues
while she admires their work, she does not are altered by time and the weather. Each piece is
see herself as a sculptor. She prefers not to crafted by hand, entirely unique and of a different
have a specific status, other than “someone size. My Twist, which was created for the 54th Venice
who works metal as though it were paper.” Biennale, takes a monumental view of life, standing
a full five metres tall amidst the gardens. Pepper fre-
This great lady, who has lived in Umbria for quently describes her sculptures as waiting sentinels
more than 50 years, has indeed visited so that come to life only when visitors arrive and imbue
may foundries the length and breadth of Italy them with their different interpretations, and in this
that metal no longer has any secrets for her. respect Vullierens offers the perfect setting.
Gillian White – Berg und Tal
GILLIAN WHITE (2017)
There are many different facets to the artist Her single-mindedness caught the eye of
Gillian White, who was born in 1939. Though Swiss artist Albert Siegenthaler, so much so
a well-known metal sculptor in Switzerland, in fact that the couple married, moving to
she has lost none of her British spirit and Switzerland in 1966 where they built a studio
the two form a perfect mix – much like her with their own hands. This is where White
dual citizenship ! Having initially trained as started to create monumental works, chief-
a ballet dancer – a career she was forced to ly from Corten steel. While Gillian White’s
abandon for health reasons age 15 – she set work can be described as rigorous in terms
her heart on becoming an artist instead. She of the symmetry of its lines, its strict rhythms
pursued her chosen path with determina- and its static gravity, this paradoxically re-
tion, combining studies (first at St Martin’s sults in atmospheric pieces that are instilled
School of Art in London, then in Paris) with with harmony and poetry.
part-time jobs.
Beverly Pepper – My Twist
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 13LAURA FORD (2018) mention the occasional touch of affectionate MANUEL TORRES (SINCE 2003)
cynicism. Ford uses her art to tackle social
Laura Ford is an English artist born in 1961. and political issues through the prism of Manuel Torres was born in Malaga in 1938
Her passion for art took her to Bath Academy humour and her own observations of the hu- and came to Geneva in 1960, leaving Spain
of Art and later the Cooper Union School man condition. Her works are considered yet and its rampant unemployment behind. He
of Art in New York, where teachers include playful, created using a range of techniques was taken on by Atelier des Charmilles as a
Michael Pennie, Richard Deacon, Nick Pope, including sculpture, drawing, painting, per- metal worker and, in his spare time, discov-
Anthony Gormley, Peter Randall-Page, formance art and set design. When it comes ered an interest in sculpting metal. Torres
Shelagh Cluett and Anish Kapoor. At 23 she to choosing materials, Ford fluctuates be- quickly acquired remarkable technical skill
began a postgraduate sculpture course at tween the power of bronze or ceramic and and expertise, though never imagined the
Chelsea School of Art in London. Ford's work the fluidity of fabric. The sculpture on show career that lay ahead. His passion for sculpt-
has been shown in numerous solo and group at Château de Vullierens represents six giant ing metal grew such that in 1971 he decided
exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale, cats standing on their hind legs. This bronze to leave his job and devote himself entirely
and is part of the collections at the Tate, the feline army is part of her "Days of Judgment" to artistic creation. From his studio in the
Victoria and Albert Museum and the Meijer series and is installed on the south terrace, Geneva countryside, Torres works tirelessly
Gardens, together with other contemporary offering an opportunity to contemplate our in his efforts to reveal metal’s inner soul, as
art museums and a number of private collec- memories, somewhere between reality and he likes to put it.
tions. Her sculptures are full of fantasy, not to imagination. Manuel Torres – Miroir, stainless steel
Made in iron or stainless steel, his frequent-
ly monumental sculptures for public spaces
are formed from interlocking geometries
which evoke male/female duality, enfold-
ing and embrace. These sensual, poetic and
always highly symbolic sculptures can be
seen in more than twenty locations – parks,
streets and public buildings – in Geneva and
throughout Switzerland.
For the past two decades, Manuel Torres
has also worked with blackened or oxidised
iron, drawing on a fascination with Egypt to
create long, solemn silhouettes that reach
towards the sky. With forty years of work to
his name, his fame has transcended nation-
al boundaries and his work features in nu-
merous private collections as well as pres-
tigious foundations.
20 sculptures in the gardens
Laura Ford – Days of judgement, bronze
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 14Le temps immobile
Motionless time : Christian Lapie questions
our individual and collective memory by ins-
talling spectral figures in historically resonant
sites. His sculptures all occupy space in the
same way – they take over their surroundings,
drawing the eye until every last corner is filled.
Silent and strong, with neither face nor arms,
they catch us unaware. These huge, tree-like
figures often tower over their spectators and
yet, Lapie insists, despite their blackness and
size we have no reason to fear them, for there
is always something reassuring and peaceful in
the company of trees. Like tranquil, unchan-
ging guardians, they bear witness to the past,
personifying the individual recollection that is
common to all humanity. Christian Lapie – Le temps immobile, treated oak
CHRISTIAN LAPIE (2014) consists in changing the landscape in some the effects of time and water on iron, steel or
Bing Bang
way, are nomadic by definition. even paper ; the other revolves around inno- Winner of the 2009 FEMS Prize (Edouard & Maurice
Christian Lapie studied first in Reims (1972- 9 sculptures in the gardens vation with materials such as memory alloys Sandoz Foundation), Étienne Krähenbühl's Bing Bang
1977) then in Paris (1977-1979). Having and super-elastic nickel-titanium alloys. is a kinetic sound sculpture measuring 3.5 metres in
started out as a painter, working in chalk, 11 sculptures in the gardens diameter, whose beats and breaths are a poetic echo
of our universe.
oxides and ash on rough sheets of canvas ETIENNE KRÄHENBÜHL (DÈS 2009)
mounted on rudimentary frames, he later
turned to materials such as sheet metal, ce- Sculptor Étienne Krähenbühl was born
ment and charred wood. Time spent in the in Vevey in 1953, attended the Lausanne
Amazon jungle triggered the need to create School of Fine Arts, and went on to train in
more monumental sculptures, and soon fig- Paris and Barcelona before setting up his
ures made of rough, scorched wood were "laboratory of the imagination" in Yverdon,
to appear in the Champagne area where where he defies the laws of physics. Working
he lives, illustrating the bloody history of with metal requires immense physical effort,
its First World War battlefields. His subject and yet his tons of steel appear poised to fly
matter is universal, a profound contempla- off to another world. The artist uses the con-
tion of our relationship with the world and trasts, textures and reflections inherent to
our own identity. Lapie’s very basic – rudi- metal to evoke something mysterious and far
mentary even – working techniques forever away, and builds on the different forms they
capture an unforgettable image, close yet at take : empty/full, polished/corroded, flexible/
the same time distant, of a primary “being stiff. In two very different ways, he explores
in the world”. Artists like Lapie, whose work his materials' many possible states. One uses
Etienne Krähenbühl – Bing bang, corroded steel, oxidised iron tubes, stainless steel, nickel-titanium
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 15HERBERT MEHLER (2012) of space and time. In 2010, Mehler began a the idea of houses in their most elementa- Tilburg. Obels first experimented different
new series of sculptures, whose symmetrical ry form. He represents them simplistically, materials for his work and after some years
Herbert Mehler was born in Germany in curves freely create open shapes. This series yet recognisably, in a variety of positions : settled for steel, which allowed him to ex-
1949, and started working alongside his fa- is called ‘Apsida’, after the Greek word for piled up, sloping, balancing… His sculptures press his ideas best.
ther, a wood sculptor, before studying at the apse or arch. situate the home in direct relation with the Pieter Obels explains “I don’t start off with a
Nuremberg Academy of Fine Arts, where in outside world, a metaphor for the role of art real plan when I embark upon a new sculp-
1976 he received a prize in recognition of 9 sculptures in the gardens in public space. By presenting his work this ture. My works come about spontaneously,
new talent. From 2003 to 2009, he created way, the artist defines the spaces in which we as the result of improvisation. I transform
his first ‘Kavex’ series, whose title is a combi- live, and gives them an energy that goes be- the rigid corten steel into graceful and
nation of the German words for ‘concave’ and WERNER POKORNY (2017) yond any purely pragmatic function. Pokorny bold sculptures. I submit the raw material
‘convex’. Using sheets of Corten steel which develops a distinctive style through which to what I want to express visually. I make it
he cuts and folds into shapes observed in Werner Pokorny, a German sculptor born we discover, and imagine, a powerful ten- dance and move without a set rhythm. In
nature, he applies mathematics and technol- in 1949, studied sculpture at the Karlsruhe sion between complexity and simplicity. His the same way, you have to experience my
ogy to produce biomorphic sculptures – al- Academy of Fine Arts. It was to be a mile- works are as varied in form as the sites for work through your own movement and dis-
legories of the organised beauty of the nat- stone in his life – first a student then a teach- which they are intended, from quietly mod- cover the sculpture from various angles and
ural world. Despite their obvious connection er, he has doubtless been an inspiration to est to frankly monumental. aspects. That is how you can best feel the
with new technologies, Mehler's sculptures an entire generation of young artists. Now movement of the steel.”
are nevertheless in perfect harmony with based in Ettlingen (Germany), he has made PIETER OBELS (2019) Obels’ sculptures can be found in many pri-
the ancient lines to be found, for example, Corten steel his material of choice, al- vate and public collections around the world.
in Gothic cloisters, thus forging a dialogue though wood also features in his sculptures. Pieter Obels is a Dutch sculptor born in Three of his sculptures are installed in our
between two eras that transcends the limits Pokorny’s work is significantly inspired by 1968. He studied at the Academy of Art in garden since 2019.
Herbert Mehler – Corten steel Werner Pokorny – Endlos, Corten steel Pieter Obels – Fijngevoelige verrukking, corten steel
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 16form. Twellmann’s works come in all sizes, In the shade of tall limes, by the old moat, that of a painter who combines a diversity of
have been exhibited on every continent and stone figures convey love, strength and parts into a united whole. From monumental
won numerous awards. sensuality. Away from the exuberant flower metal works to paintings, drawings and instal-
displays, a couple 2.5 metres high and two lations, everything is in harmony. Valverde's
1.7 metre solitary figures contemplate the work is characterised primarily by minimalist,
LAURENT DOMINIQUE FONTANA (2017) blondness of the shell sandstone from which rectilinear shapes. He is a ‘builder of space’,
they are made. always true to his own style – which has been
Swiss-born artist Laurent Dominique described as austere – yet equally happy to
Fontana studied architecture and fine arts experiment with different materials and tech-
in Geneva. His work often tackles the tragic CARLES VALVERDE (2018) niques. Static sculptures contrast with light-
tension with which the human condition is hearted, animated installations that exist as
fraught : suffering, love, solitude, determina- Carles Valverde is an artist from Catalonia, extensions of space and time.
tion. These are characteristics found in his born in 1965. He has lived in Switzerland for In Switzerland, his work can be seen at
work as a sculptor ; a hand-to-hand combat nearly 30 years, barring an eight-year interlude the Institute of Technology in Lausanne, at
with vital materials : stone, wood and time. in Majorca. He studied at the Llotja School of Bex & Arts, at the Louis Moret Foundation,
There is always a paradoxical element to his Applied Arts in Barcelona and was inspired as well as in several galleries and private
portrayal of humanity : male and female fig- to create art himself by the works of Eduardo collections. Carles Valverde has also exhibit-
ures, dreaming or warring, cross empty spac- Chilida and Richard Serra, and by Max Bill’s ed in Spain, Poland and Germany. In spring
es with intensely powerful gestures – infinite, concrete art. Carles Valverde is a sculptor 2018, one of his works joins the collection at
voluptuous, tense, elusive, like life itself. first and foremost, but his practice resembles Château de Vullierens.
Urs Twellmann – Wood
URS TWELLMANN (2016)
Urs Twellmann discovered his true vocation
in 1997 when, after a period at the Visual
Arts School in his native Berne, he took off
for America and the Art Students League of
New York, before completing his education
at the Manhattan Graphic Center. Today,
photography and sculpture are his preferred
means of expression. Inspiration for his
sculptures comes from the objects and in-
stallations which he experiments with in his
studio-laboratory. This is where the wood
reveals its nature and the future works begin
to take shape.
He shapes and sculpts with a chainsaw, stop-
ping only when he is convinced, beyond any
doubt, that the piece has reached its finished
Laurent Dominique Fontana – Sandstone Carles Valverde – Steel
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 17weaknesses. He is now ready to give new life compositions often involving elements of
to a tree that would otherwise have been performance such as fashion shows, danc-
burned. Entering into violent, noisy com- ing and cabaret.
bat, Sansonnens shapes his material with Jones has exhibited internationally in solo
a chainsaw until an abstract form emerg- and group exhibitions, including a number
es from the fray.Art imitates nature, but of major touring retrospectives of his work.
through the artist’s prism. Eric Sansonnens His work is held by numerous museum
builds a rudimentary bridge between collections including the British Museum,
wood’s complex structures and the artist’s London ; Tate, London ; National Portrait
unconscious which has observed his deep- Gallery, London ; Calouste Gulbenkian
est sentiments and brought forth elemental Foundation, Lisbon ; Stedelijk Museum,
forms. He opens a door into his world, with- Amsterdam ; Museum of Modern Art, New
out the need for further explanation. York ; Whitney Museum of American Art,
New York ; Chicago Museum of Art ; Fogg
Art Museum, Massachusetts ; Hirshhorn
GEORGES COULON (2018) Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington
D.C. ; Vancouver Art Gallery and Nagaoka
Georges Coulon was born in Chartre, Museum, Japan. Allen Jones lives and works
France, in 1914. He studied at the Ecole in London.
des Arts Appliqués and the Ecole Nationale Georges Coulon – Bronze His piece "Femme Assise" in red steel is
Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. shown in the garden since 2018.
Eric Sansonnens – Wood Thanks to his technical mastery and creative
talent, he was quickly noticed among his ALLEN JONES (2018)
peers and won the Casa de Velázquez prize.
ERIC SANSONNENS (2016) In the aftermath of the Second World War, Allen Jones was born in 1937 in
awards and successes reinforced his talents Southampton, England. He studied paint-
Eric Sansonnens’ work asks us to look be- as a figurative sculptor. ing and lithography at Hornsey College of
yond the apparent complexity of the mate- Desperate to find that abstract art was no Art, London before enrolling at the Royal
rial and go deeper, to dig down to the very longer appealing to the public, he abruptly College of Art. In 1963 Jones received the
essence of the material. Artists are go-be- ended his career as a sculptor in the late six- Prix des Jeunes Artistes at the Paris Biennale,
tweens who portray the world not as it is, ties to devote himself to painting. He even and in 1986 he was elected to the Royal
but as they see it. decides to destroy some of his sculptures, Academy of Arts. From 1990 - 99 he was a
In this respect, Eric Sansonnens’ first oc- which were then saved and hidden by his trustee of the British Museum, London.
cupation, as a carpenter, has left its mark : wife and friend, the sculptor Volti. The secret Allen Jones established himself as a contro-
total respect for the raw material. He nev- of his work preservation was revealed to him versial Pop artist during the 1960s. He is
er asks for a tree to be uprooted especially shortly before his death in 1990. His artwork best known for his steel sculptures, paint-
for him, but picks a trunk that has already is therefore rare but powerful and elegant. ings and prints incorporating female fig-
been felled. Having made his choice, the One of his bronze sculpture can be admired ures. His sexually charged early works, with
sculptor scrutinises the wood, explores its on the south terrace of Château Vullierens their provocative eroticism, have, over the
structures, tests its resistance and notes any since the summer 2018. years, given way to more stylised, lyrical
Allen Jones – "Seated Woman" Red Steel
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 18DOROTHY CROSS (2018) tion with her major solo installation, "Ebb", with "Bed". Carved from Carrara marble, Manuel Carbonell's sculptures demonstrate
at the Douglas Hyde Gallery in Dublin. this crumpled bed symbolises birth, death, immense sensitivity and technique. His
Dorothy Cross is possibly Ireland's best- This was followed by another installation, sex and dreams. Favoured by Renaissance sensual, powerful works are held at muse-
known artist. Born in 1956 in Cork, where "PowerHouse", at the ICA in Philadelphia, sculptors and once reserved for depicting ums, in private collections and exhibited in
she attended the Crawford Municipal Camden Arts Centre in London, and Kerlin saints, Dorothy Cross shifts registers and public spaces.
School of Art, she went on to Leicester Gallery in Dublin. Both these works incorpo- takes marble from sacred to secular in a His "Mother and Child" sculpture in the
Polytechnic in England. She also studied rated found objects as well as items that had thought-provoking work. gardens of Château de Vullierens is the first
for three years at the San Francisco Art been in her family's possession for many of his works ever shown in Switzerland.
Institute, California, where she completed a years. In this respect, Cross's work has been
degree in printmaking. described as "poetic amalgamation". MANUEL CARBONELL (2018)
She is at home with a variety of media, Dorothy Cross is best-known for "Ghost
ranging from sculpture and installation art Ship", a public installation in which a dis- Manuel Carbonell is one of the most highly
to photography and video, though always used light ship in Scotman's Bay, off Dún regarded contemporary Cuban sculptors.
exploring recurrent themes of sexual and Laoghaire Harbour in Dublin, was brought Born in Cuba in 1918, he died in Florida in
cultural identity, personal history, memory to life through the use of luminous paint. 2011 at the age of 93. Carbonell belonged
and the gaps between the conscious and the Cross, who holds an honorary doctorate to a generation of artists who studied at
subconscious. from University College, Cork, and is a past the San Alejandro School of Fine Arts in
Exhibiting regularly since the mid-1980s, winner of the prestigious Pollock-Krasner Havana, during which time he met Mario
Dorothy Cross came to wider public atten- Award, comes to Château de Vullierens Carreno, Amelia Pelaez, Victor Manuel and
Fidelio Ponce. His greatest influence, how-
ever, would be his teacher and mentor, José
Sicre. Carbonell travelled to France, Italy
and Spain where he continued to study. He
developed a classical style and many of his
early sculptures had a religious theme. This
would change when Carbonell fled Cuba
for New York, where he began to experi-
ment with more modern forms. His work
began to attract the attention of promi-
nent collectors. By 1963 he was exhibiting
at the influential Schoneman Gallery on
Madison Avenue (and would have a further
seven solo shows there). In 1976, at a cer-
emony at the White House, Carbonell gift-
ed his "Bicentennial Eagle" to the United
States. The following year he sculpted the
"Madonna of Fatima" , his first bronze mon-
ument. Standing eight metres high, it is
one of the largest bronzes ever cast in the
United States in the twentieth century.
Dorothy Cross – Marble Manuel Carbonell – Bronze
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 19NICOLE DUFOUR (2018) Her works deal with relationships and its am- POL QUADENS (2018) techniques and materials of metalworking,
bivalence, the restoration and the transfor- and honed his vision to focus on the fine,
Nicole Dufour is a Swiss artist from Geneva. mation. Her art involves braiding, ink draw- Belgian artist Pol Quadens was born in undulating lines of the automobile – the
She was born in 1957. After studying graphic ing and using recycled papers or materials. 1960. From modest beginnings as a coach- basis of his artistic research. In fact it was in
design, she learned Chinese at the University The installation "Dieu est une couturière" is builder, he has become an international- his own classic car restoration garage that
of Geneva before embarking on a nearly a dramatic statement of her work. The nee- ly recognised designer. He trained in the he began designing his first furniture and
30-years journey that took her successive- dle as a tool becomes a monumental object arts in Brussels with Pierre Sterckx – a other objects, aged just 25.
ly to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Kyoto. erected as a totem. It has been installed in life-changing encounter – but needs must, He first achieved success with the CD200
She set up her studio in Burgundy, France in the gardens since the end of 2018. and Quadens found work twisting metal compact disc storage shelf, over 100,000 of
2006 and completed several residencies out- The needle is 6 meters high and 3.1 meters into bodywork for cars. This experience was which were made. He went on to exhibit at
side Europe. in diameter. nonetheless of benefit, as it taught him the furniture fairs, including the highly regarded
Milan Fair, and quickly became a name to be
reckoned with on the international design
scene, extending and enriching his creations
to include the world’s lightest chair, made
from carbon fibre, shoes also in carbon fi-
bre, worn by Madonna, watches for Swatch
Group, etc.
The transition from unorthodox designer
and virtuoso draftsman into sculpture came
naturally. Line is the common denominator
of all his work as it feeds the all-important
ideas of asymmetry and balance. What may
appear to be free, spontaneous shapes are
in fact the fruit of having successfully tack-
led numerous constraints and taken experi-
ments to their utmost limits.
With quasi sensory expertise, Pol Quadens
takes pleasure in defying materials and tech-
niques to extract their essence, testing their
breaking point at every step. For Château de
Vullierens, he realised sixteen stainless steel
"stones" that reaches 4.5 metres in height.
Nicole Dufour – "God is a seamstress" polyester resin and metallic lacquer Pol Quadens – stainless steel
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 20MAP OF THE GARDENS
K
DORIANNE’S GARDEN BUNNY'S SHADE GARDEN DARIA’S GARDEN LE ROYAUME DU ROI LÉZARD
KING LIZARD'S KINGDOM
DAS KÖNIGREICH DER EIDECHSE
K BK
PO
DC
K MUÑI’S GARDEN
GC CV AJ
K
C S CV
BP K ND
K
C K PO
K
UT
EXIT
THE ENCHANTED WOODLAND
BY SARA.H
F K K
THE SECRET GARDEN DOREEN’S GARDEN
MF
PO
NEW'19
AJ Allen Jones CV Carles Valverde
NEW'19
BK Beat Kohlbrenner Dorothy Cross J Francis Jennings LF Laura Ford ND Nicole Dufour Q Pol Quadens
BP Beverly Pepper F Laurent-D. Fontana K Etienne Krähenbühl M Herbert Mehler P Werner Pokorny S Eric Sansonnens UT Urs-P. Twellmann
NEW'19 NEW'19
Manuel Carbonell GC Georges Coulon L Christian Lapie MF Mireille Fulpius Pieter Obels T Manuel Torres W Gillian White
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 2140,000
bottles produced annually
8
hectares of vines
THE VINEYARD AND ITS WINES
Château de Vullierens, the home of the Bovet de Mestral family for the past 700 years, is also renowned for its vineyard, which is replanted
with Chasselas, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Gamaret, Garanoir and Galotta. The historic vines extend south of the Château for over 8 hectares. Tasting and sales
For a number of years, the estate has established sustainable, eco-friendly practices for its winegrowing. Individuals plots are monitored to know All our wines can be enjoyed at Café des
when the grapes are ready for picking. Yield is limited. The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted in the crates to preserve their integrity. Jardins and are sold in the Gift Shop during
The label on the bottles shows an Iris germanica, winner of the Dykes Memorial Medal, the highest award of the American Iris Society. the gardens open season. Wine tastings are
Château de Vullierens wines can be tasted and purchased at Café des Jardins during the gardens open season, and at other times by appointment. also proposed.
Our wines
GAMARET-GARANOIR ROSÉ CHASSELAS PINOT NOIR GAMARET-GARANOIR
The rosé is produced from the best plots Chasselas is the characteristic white grape Pinot Noir is one of the most widely-grown Gamaret and Garanoir are two Swiss va-
of Gamaret-Garanoir. It yields an aroma of variety of French-speaking Switzerland. red grape varieties in Switzerland. Originally rieties, a cross between Gamay (black)
blackberry, raspberry and citrus with hints Excellent as an aperitif, it can also be enjoyed from Burgundy, it takes its name from its pi- and Reichensteiner (white). A blend of
of spice, and reveals a rich, persistent flavour with cheese dishes or to accompany a local- necone-shaped clusters of fruit. Its lightness the two pairs well with game and grilled
with a delicate, fruity texture. A gastronomic ly-caught fish. The Château de Vullierens and fruity flavour pair well with both red meat. Château de Vullierens has produced
rosé with a bright personality. Chasselas is a Grand Cru, Appellation and white meat. It can also be served with a a Gamaret-Garanoir blend since 2008. Its
The Rosé Gamaret-Garanoir 2017 has ob- Morges. A delicious, floral, structured white, starter or with pasta. Since 2005, Château de attractive, deep red colour is matched by a
tained the gold medal awarded by the Wine it has twice won, in 2008 and 2009, the Vullierens has produced a Swiss Pinot Noir full bouquet with berry notes and a round,
Office Vaudois. Médaille d’Or du Grand Prix du Vin Suisse. with an attractive ruby colour, a subtle, fruity slightly spicy palate.
The Chasselas 2017 received the Excellence bouquet and supple, silky tannins.
Award by Vinum magazine.
LE CHÂTEAU DE VULLIERENS - 2019 PRESS PACK - CHATEAUVULLIERENS.CH | HISTORY | THE GARDENS | THE SCULPTORS | THE WINES | CAFÉ DES JARDINS | PORTES DES IRIS | THE GIFT SHOP | VISITOR INFORMATION | 22You can also read
