In France, the historic peach walls site in the Île-de-France region is being restored to its former glory. The public can now discover the fauna and flora of the site through a biodiversity trail that passes between the walls and plots of land that were previously home to fruit trees.
Renovation of the Ile-de-France peach walls site in France
- 21 July 2021
We decided to set up an unprecedented action plan to save this heritage that was being threatened with destruction. The most damaged plots have been cleaned up, but there is still so much to do.
Between the Montreuil peach walls, a biodiversity trail has been opened to the public. It allows you to wander between the existing gardens, along a small watercourse, the Ru Gobetue, which used to be covered in rubbish. This is the result of a site restoration project aimed at creating continuity between the different areas of this historic site, providing shelter, breeding grounds and, where appropriate, feeding grounds for wildlife and flora.
Cleaning up the plots
Dating from the 17th century, the peach walls of the city of Montreuil, near Paris, have long enclosed orchards spread over several hundred kilometres. Today, the surface area is smaller and it had become urgent to clean up the remaining plots. A total of 1,300 m3 of waste was removed. The most isolated plots were opened up, before remodelling and planting began.
Today, the public can discover the site from its centre and not from the surrounding streets, thus re-accessing spaces that had been lost when the area fell into decline. The project has made it possible to till the soil and to create boundaries between the public thoroughfare and the gardens that line the route between the walls.
Doors or gaps were opened between plots of land that – sometimes privately owned and sometimes owned by the city or the state – had ended up far apart and, in some cases, badly damaged by misuse.
A new appeal
In creating a new circular walk, the project brings unity and a new appeal to the site, encouraging dynamic links between gardens. Art has also burst onto the scene, with the development of a festival called Land Art, where artists create works using natural resources.
The enhancement of the fauna and flora encourages educational initiatives. Guides show visitors around on the paths that run between the plots. Educational signs are also provided to help people understand local biodiversity and to learn about wall construction and horticultural techniques.
You can learn about the traditional trellising of fruit trees where branches are trained along the wall: the perfect angle of the wall means that all the heat stored during the day can be delivered at night. This is the reason why Montreuil peaches were once highly renowned and were found on the table of Louis XIV and even the Queen of England.
Total investment and European funding
The "Biodiversity trails in the heart of the peach wall heritage site" project received a total investment of EUR 1 263 596; the contribution of the European Regional Development Fund amounts to EUR 617 140 under the "Ile-de-France and Seine ERDF–ESF Operational Programme" for the 2014–2020 programming period. The investment comes under the priority of "preserving and protecting the environment and encouraging the efficient use of resources".