THE NYMPH OF THE PIEDEFER ESTATE

It is one of the city's treasures, still very little known and yet it is rightly classified as a historical heritage: the Nymphaea. It is indeed within the domain of Piedefer that is located a cavity, also called "cave with shells", and covered with tens of thousands of shells, a decoration today that can be considered as kitsch, but very fashionable several centuries ago. If the date of construction of the hall itself is 1674 and 1692, the exact period during which the vaults were covered by rockeries and shells, giving such an incredible result, remains unclear, as well as the identity of the author of this work: prisoner, bishop, no one really knows. Used as a refreshment area in summer by park visitors, then as a chapel, the area was purchased by the municipality in 1992. Today, the place can be visited in summer, as the opening days vary, so it is advisable to check with the municipality beforehand.