The School :

The school of Horticulture and Landscaping Techniques of the City of Paris, l’Ecole Du Breuil, was founded in 1867 by the Baron Haussmann and named after its first Director, Alphonse Du Breuil.
It is a private school under contract with the French Ministry of Agriculture. It offers a co-ed, tuition-free education to residents of Paris and the Hauts-de-Seine department.
Currently 200 students are enrolled, and there are 35 faculty members.

The Educational Program :

The mission of the school is to train skilled workers and technicians in professional horticultural and landscaping techniques. The school also provides gardening courses for amateurs and the general public.
The school prepares students for a degree in Agriculture with a specialisation in Landscape Planning and Site Implementation. Certificates and diplomas prepared for range from the Brevet d’Études Professionnelles Agricoles (Certificate in professional Agricultural Studies) to the Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (Technician Certificate – Advanced Level), and also include two professional landscaping diplomas.

The Plant Collection :

Located in the Bois de Vincennes, the school grounds extend over a 25-hectare estate – the largest property devoted to horticultural education in France. 45 gardeners divided into 4 teams foremen maintain the grounds and communicate their techniques and skills to the students.
The gardens and plant collections are truly remarkable : an arboretum, open to the public, with 800 different species, an orchard which includes 300 varieties of apple-trees and pear-trees, a rose garden, a perennial plant garden, a medicinal herb garden and greenhouses. All the plants are identified by labels and are representative of their species for the Ile-de-France region.