This monumental and moving artwork is deeply rooted in the history of Le Havre. You will have to admire it in the vicinity of the Basin du Roy, a stretch of water majestically overlooked by the statue of King Francis I, who founded the city in 1517. Baptiste Debombourg took great interest in the vestiges of this avant-gardist who introduced the Italian Renaissance style to France.

The Royal Château de Blois was one of King Francis I's castles. There, the King's bedroom matches his power and influence. From floor to ceiling, it is decorated with a myriad of rosettes and other fantastic geometric patterns.

Baptiste Debombourg drew inspiration from these ornaments to design a metal structure which is applied against the walls of the basin. With the ebb and flow of sea water, mussels, oysters, and algae hang to the structure, revealing, week after week, the royal patterns and their treasures. In fact, the artist may very well have designed the first sea garden « à la Française ».

This permanent artwork was sponsored by VINCI Construction France.

* Ghost Gardens