From this month of November, Parisian department stores unveil their windows for Christmas. This year, La Samaritaine invites 6 artists to express themselves around the theme of the Winter Garden. A theme that makes sense because the creator of this luxury house, Marie-Louise Cognacq Jaÿ is also at the origin of the Jaÿsinia Botanical Garden in Samoëns (Haute-Savoie). Indeed, the artists pay tribute to this botanical enthusiast by offering a magical universe where nature mixes with everyday objects until January 5, 2025.
Who is Marie-Louise Cognacq Jaÿ?
On July 1, 1838, Marie-Louise was born in the heart of the hamlet of Villard in Samoëns, in Haute-Savoie. She grew up raising goats before leaving at the age of 16 for the French capital, Paris. Marie-Louise founded the famous department store, La Samaritaine, with her husband Ernest Cognacq-Jaÿ without ever forgetting her native region. In 1906, she created the Jaÿsinia botanical garden on the same location where she kept her goats. This true haven of peace was inaugurated on September 3, 1906.
From the sumptuous Jaÿsinia botanical garden to La Samaritaine in Paris
On the day of the inauguration of this mountain garden, Marie-Louise offered this magical place to the town of Samoëns. Designed by the Genevan architect Jules Allemand, the Jaÿsinia garden required two years of work and the know-how of 200 workers. Today, this 3.7 hectare setting is classified as a Remarkable Garden of France. It includes approximately 2,400 varieties of mountain plants from 5 continents.
It is now managed by the National Museum of Natural History and has a laboratory open to scientists. This timeless place dedicated to botanists also offers its visitors a poetic walk through the alpine flora over more than 3 km. This enchanted paradise can also be discovered at La Samaritaine, in Paris. This is an opportunity for nature lovers to travel to the heart of the mountains by entering this Parisian department store during the end-of-year holidays. Illuminations, flowers, enchanting decorations, activities, the Samaritaine is transformed into a real winter garden!
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