walk around the fondation arp
the sculptors in their gardens
in meudon
Easily accessible by boat and train, located on the edge
of a splendid forest, Meudon has been chosen by many writers and artists since the 19th century as a place
of their creation.
Among the most illustrious sculptors, several of the most renowned chose Meudon in the prestigious wake of Auguste Rodin, setting up their studios in inspiring gardens, including Jean Arp and François Stahly.
It is precisely in the house-studio built
by Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Jean Arp
that the fondation arp was established, a place
that has become emblematic of modern art,
where the work of both artists can be discovered.
Public institutions have recognized the need to preserve and showcase this heritage, particularly by dedicating
a large portion of the Meudon Musée d'Art et d'Histoire and its vast garden to 20th-century sculptors.
This heritage approach has been complemented since 2023 by the activities of Hangar Y, a private foundation committed to supporting contemporary art, which houses
a significant collection of sculptures in its vast park.
Finally, Meudon is also home to several houses whose designers conceived them as sculptural gestures,
some of which are worth noting for the walker, such as
the Le Caron villas on Rue des Fougères, in Clamart.
Today, a whole sculpture circuit exists around
the fondation arp, a cultural and artistic walk that
can be completed on foot in a few hours and kilometers.
As the opening hours and conditions for the various institutions presented here vary, it is recommended that you consult the websites before visiting them.
potager du dauphin
Formerly an annex of the castle inhabited by the son
of Louis XIV, then a Jesuit study center dedicated to Russian culture, this public garden hosts sculptures
by Achiam and Robert Fachard (another work by the latter is located in another garden nearby, the Gauer park, rue des Capucins).
open daily and free to the public
parc paumier
Located near the Meudon-Val Fleury RER station,
this public garden houses three monumental statues
by sculptor François Stahly, whose studio was located in the Bellevue district of Meudon.
Having collaborated with Étienne Martin, Marcel Duchamp, and Max Ernst in the 1930s, he created numerous works in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle,
and Paris.
open daily and free to the public
hangar Y
After being the first hangar dedicated to ballooning,
this vast building, listed as a historic monument,
has become, under the care of the Art Explora Foundation, a thriving cultural center organizing events reflecting the variety of contemporary creation.
The banks of the Chalais pond, which borders the hangar, have become a sculpture garden, regularly updated
as part of active patronage.
Christian Boltanski, Subdoh Gupta, and Jérémy Deller
are among the guests of this magical place.
A children's area featuring a dinosaur designed by Jérémy Deller is located at the far end of the park.
daily open to the public, paid entry
musée d’art et d’histoire de meudon
Formerly the home of surgeon Ambroise Paré and later Armande Béjart, actress and wife of Molière,
the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire houses a rich collection of works, particularly 20th-century sculptures: Bourdelle, Rodin, Arp, César, Stahly, Penalba, Szapocznikow, Dietrich Mohr, and more.
The one-hectare park showcases some fifty sculptures from the 20th and 19th centuries, including Helvetia by Gustave Courbet (1875). Among the most famous are Andreas Beck, André Bloc, Robert Fachard,
Juana Muller, Day Schnabel, François Stahly,
and Parvine Curie, to whom a discreet path is dedicated, overlooking the path leading to the Observatory park (former château) and Hangar Y.
free opening to the public in the afternoons except Mondays
to the musée d'art et d'histoire de meudon website
musée rodin
Auguste Rodin lived the last twenty years of his life
in the villa adjoining his former studio, now the plaster
cast gallery. A true immersion into the heart of the artist's creation, sculptures are presented at the various stages
of Rodin's creative journey.
The vast park includes several major sculptures: Balzac, Hugo, and The Thinker, which sits atop Rodin's tomb.
free opening to the public
on Saturdays and Sundays between March and September
© photographs of the sites along the route by Michel Doucin
