This green haven by Jean-Pierre Coffe opens to the public in Centre-Val de Loire, what his latest companion reveals surprises

Near Châteaudun, in Eure-et-Loir, a garden long kept away from the public now attracts the curious. At a place called La Duchaylatière, the paths, oaks and flower beds tell another side of Jean-Pierre Coffe, far from the TV sets.

Famous for his rants against junk food and his repeated on-air comments, reported by France 3, the gastronomic critic was also an obsessive gardener. Ten years after its disappearance, this two-hectare refuge is truly open to visits.

In Lanneray, Jean-Pierre Coffe’s garden emerges from the shadows

When he discovered this farm in ruins in 1985, the land of La Duchaylatière was invaded by brambles. At the entrance, a simple sign announces today, a nod to the man who shaped the place for more than thirty years.

says Christophe Dolbeau, quoted by France 3, before adding: . Together, they planted trees and shrubs, and rested under the twelve large oaks, affectionately named.

Christophe Dolbeau opens Jean-Pierre Coffe’s garden to the public

Last companion of Jean-Pierre Coffe, with whom he shared the last ten years, Christophe Dolbeau knows each massif by heart. Moved, he confides: , before remembering that .

Now the owner of two hectares, the antique dealer has become a full-time gardener. Demanding, he repeats that , and that , a phrase which sums up the spirit of this garden of friends.

Visit La Duchaylatière, the garden of Jean-Pierre Coffe near Châteaudun

If the place was not designed to accommodate people, its guardian ended up opening it more widely. , he explains, before admitting: .

Classified as Center-Val de Loire Parks and Gardens since 2018 and candidate for the “Remarkable Garden” label, the estate can be visited all year round, by reservation, with a walk commented by Christophe Dolbeau followed by a friendly drink, and part of the house has become a gîte.