In 1769, the Duke of Chartres (future Duke of Orleans) bought a hectare of land at the centre of Monceau plain. It was the modest beginning of the "folly of Chartres". A pavillion was built at the centre of the garden that the duke, who would become Philippe-Egalité, was to extend to 12 hectares between 1773 and 1778. In 1860, the park was much bigger than it is today. The painter Carmontelle was given the job of designing "an extraordinary garden that would unite all times and all places". So a picturesque decor unfolded with false ruins and showy temples. The intervention at the end of the 18th century by landscape gardener Thomas Blaikie led to a modification in the aspect of the park. Softening the fantastic landscape, he transformed it into a sumptous garden in the English style. At the time of the Revolution, the park was declared a national possession and was the venue for dances and popular festivals. It was returned to the Orleans family at the time of the Restoration. Then, in 1852, half of the park was given to the State and half to the Orleans family. The City of Paris purchased it in 1860. One part was transformed into a public park by Baron Haussmann and inaugurated in 1861 by Napoleon III. This included many decorative elements such as a great ornamental lake for mock-naval battles and the pyramid and remains of the gardens of the prince-poet the Duke of Orleans. The bridge, grotto and waterfall were redesigned under Napoleon III. Monceau is one of the most floral parks in Paris, where you will also find rare and ancient specimens of trees, including the Oriental Plane tree (one of the oldest and largest of the trees). Many play areas for children.