The Josephine Gardens are based on several centuries of history (s) and emblematic people: Jeanne de France, Emperor Napoleon I and Josephine de Beauharnais, the Marquis de Dauvet… all have left a mark still visible today.
First Jeanne d’Evreux before becoming Queen of France, she chose to build the first castle in Navarre. With a large area, the estate, which will become the Duchy of Navarre, benefits from the expertise of Jeanne de France for outdoor development; she will plant apple trees of Pamplona, her favorites.
From the influence of Versailles, the Duke of Bouillon called upon two architects renowned for their constructions: André Le Nôtre and Jules-Hardouin Mansart. Le Nôtre is at the origin of the Jardin d’Hébé and its emblematic basins. Mansart, for his part, of two of the most famous Water Mirrors in the gardens of the Castle of Navarre.
Former wife of Emperor Napoleon I, Josephine de Beauharnais was offered the Duchy of Navarre in 1810. Then abandoned for nearly 10 years, Josephine will make many renovations to restore its splendor of yesteryear. If she makes only a few comings and goings, she will mark the domain of her presence and her enthusiasm for the latter.
The beginnings of the industrial era heralded the opening of many production companies. And, in 1834, the Marquis de Dauvet made the choice to buy the domain of Navarre to build the first Ébroïcian factories. Placing the hydraulic power of the Iton at the heart, the factories become a real springboard in the development of the Ébroïcien territory.
