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Chapelle Saint-Blaise

The botanical garden surrounding the chapel fulfils the wishes of Jean Cocteau when he decorated the building: his inspiration for the inside frescos are the simples indeed. There can be found, depending on the seasons, medicinal plants for which Milly-la-forêt is a known growing centre, especially the peppermint.
The botanical garden includes around 200 simples; it was created by M. André Darbonne, then founder of the trade union of medicinal plants in France.

The association Friends of the Saint‑Blaise des Simples Chapel rdered from artist Philippe Bouveret three sculptures to honour Mr Darbonne, Houdy and Poirrier. This work specially designed for this garden symbolize the plants evolving with the seasons.

Sculture du jardin de la Chapelle Saint Blaise
Sculture du jardin de la Chapelle Saint Blaise
Sculture du jardin de la Chapelle Saint Blaise

In the spring when the temperature is rising, the colour green appears in the peppermint's stem, symbolizing the sap's rise. With the heat, gold magically appears in the flowers. And when the temperature gets mild, colours appear recalling inflorescences in the glass tubes.

The design and the production have been made by Philippe Bouveret.

In the garden can also be found a bell dating back to 1479, when the Milly-la-Forêt's covered market was built, and formerly used to ring the market's opening and closing. It rang until 1925.