LE PARC DES QUINCONCES
Esplanade in front of the spa.
The Parc des Quinconces was created in 1849, when the development of the spa industry necessitated new urban developments. It offers a veritable green setting of over 4 hectares.
The area in front of the Thermes is built along the lines of a French garden, with orderly vegetation. The catalpa and tulip trees are planted in Quinconces, hence the name given to the Park.
At the entrance to the park on the left is the statue of Abel and Cain, sculpted by Luchonnais Jean Marie Mengue in 1896. Taken from the Book of Genesis, this scene depicts the moment just after the fratricide. Abel lies lifeless on the ground, while Cain realizes the gravity of his act.
Higher up, the statue created by Gustave Adolphe Désiré Crauk in 1889 pays tribute to Baron d'Etigny.
On the left, the bandstand is typical of the late 19th century. Octagonal in shape and constructed in cast iron, it features a stone base and a floor that act as a sound box.
Next door, in the early 20th century, the present-day Maison du Curiste housed the emollient baths reserved for ladies' beauty treatments.
Heading towards the lake, to the right of the large Atlas cedar, is the statue of the Bear. Made of bronze in 1950, it is the work of Georges-Lucien Guyot. From generation to generation, thousands of children have slid and still slide on its shiny back. It's the perfect place for a souvenir photo.
The Vallée du Lys statue, in the small basin near the lake, was sculpted by Jean Marie Mengue in 1899. It is an allegory of the nearby Lys Valley.
This brings us to the second part of the park, built in the English style. Plants play a predominant role here, combining exotic and local conifers reflected in the lake. The walks lead up to the forest on the mountainside.
Up on the right is the funicular station. Put into service in 1894, it served the "La Chaumière" inn at an altitude of 900 meters. It operated for 60 years.
A little further on, the "buvette du bosquet" dates back to 1900. Entirely made of wood and covered with a thatched roof, it is nicknamed "la buvette du petit lait". Spa-goers used to come here to drink whey, supposed to "comfort the stomach from sulphur water".
Finally, higher up and still on the right, the statue created in 1906 by Jean-Marie Mengue pays homage to Pyrenean artist Marcel Spont, surrounded by mountain attributes. Below, you can see the Caraouet fountain, mentioned in Edmond Rostand's 1890 collection of poems Les Musardises, where he spent the summers of his youth. It is marked by a plaque on which are transcribed these few lines: "Elle chante comme un rouet, la fontaine de Caraouet" ("She sings like a spinning wheel, the fountain of Caraouet").