Karin El Achak & Bernard Depoorter, Atelier Kel, Agence BDP concept © Yann Monel
Karin El Achak & Bernard Depoorter, Atelier Kel, Agence BDP concept © Yann Monel
Karin El Achak & Bernard Depoorter, Atelier Kel, Agence BDP concept © Yann Monel
Karin El Achak & Bernard Depoorter, Atelier Kel, Agence BDP concept © Atelier Kel, Agence BDP concept
Some structures in this garden have been removed for renovation. Thank you for your understanding. (February 2026)
Garden of peace – “Jardin des Hespérides“, 2018
Near the Chemin des Dames, a valley devastated by the battles and bombs of the First World War, a garden pays tribute to the Moroccan soldiers who fell on French soil. Designed by landscape architects Karim El Achak (Morocco) and Bernard Depoorter (Belgium), this small piece of Morocco on French land references one of the legendary gardens of the Maghreb, the fabulous Orchard of the Hesperides, which Greek mythology placed at the edge of the Western world. Here, the strict geometric layout of the design, reminiscent of Arab-Muslim garden art, gently follows the undulating terrain of Old Craonne. At the center of the space, a basin of polished metal reflects the surrounding landscape. By tradition, Oriental gardens are spaces set apart from the world and from time, where water symbolizes life in contrast to the harshness of the desert. Placed on a zellige platform—glazed terracotta tiles typical of Morocco—the fountain of the Garden of the Hesperides stands at a crossroads, ready to welcome visitors of the Chemin des Dames.
