This literary prize is the same as all other awards : they are sensitive to the vagaries of time, for obvious reasons, they vary in terms of quality and excellence. Accordingly, there have been high-profile winners of the Prix Goncourt (Proust, Gary…), whilst other winners have been less well known. However, we feel that the second René Pechère prize, which was awarded last November by a particularly knowledgeable jury, will remain in the collective memory for a long time.
The prize was awarded to “Itinéraires d’un jardinier” (A Gardener’s travels) by Pascal Cribier, which is an unparalleled and unique piece of work in which the French landscaper, who is one of the leading figures of his generation, brings together some of the leading French specialists in garden design and landscaping. The Jury also recognised, for its literary and iconographic quality, “Erwan Tymen : 19 jardins”, by Christine Barbedet and Philippe Perdereau, which received a special mention (see the list of award winners onpage 3).
Pascal Cribier received his Prize in Paris last November in the wonderful salle des glaces of the Wallonia-Brussels Delegation, before being received, along with all of the other authors and organisers present, by Didier Wirth, President of the French Parks and Gardens Committee. Pascal Cribier, who is well acquainted with the work of René Pechère, said that he was particularly honoured to receive this prize since he holds Pechère’s work and methods in such high esteem.