Château de Villandry, Renaissance château in Villandry, France
The white stone château displays symmetrical architecture with two wings adorned by pavilions and surrounded by ornamental gardens with geometric patterns.
Jean Le Breton, France's Controller-General under King Francis I, constructed the château in 1532 around a preserved medieval defensive tower.
The Renaissance gardens feature precise geometric patterns divided into separate sections including vegetables, flowers, medicinal herbs, and water features.
The château opens daily except on Christmas and New Year's Day, with guided tours available in French and English throughout the main building.
The kitchen gardens contain 40 different vegetable varieties planted in alternating colors to create decorative patterns visible from the château windows.
Location: Villandry
Architectural style: Renaissance architecture
Website: http://chateauvillandry.fr
GPS coordinates: 47.34051,0.51448
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:37
France has a notable horticultural heritage expressed through gardens of various styles spread across the country. This collection includes historical creations like the Renaissance gardens of Villandry, urban parks such as the Parc de la Tête d'Or in Lyon with its 290 acres and four tropical greenhouses, as well as mountain gardens like the Jardin Alpin in Chamonix. Visitors also discover specialized sites, including the Val-de-Marne Rose Garden with 3,300 rose varieties organized by historical periods. These spaces exhibit considerable botanical diversity, from the Mediterranean collections at Domaine du Rayol on the Côte d'Azur to tropical plants at the Serres d'Auteuil in Paris. Some gardens like the Jardin des Plantes in Nantes host more than 10,000 species from different climates, while others focus on specific collections like magnolias and hydrangeas at the Gaston Allard Arboretum in Angers. These sites combine scientific interest, botanical conservation, and the pleasure of strolling, offering visitors the chance to explore the plant richness of the entire world within carefully arranged settings.
The Loire River houses castles from French Renaissance and Classical periods. These structures display architectural elements of their time and document noble life. Each castle presents distinct features, from Gothic ornaments to symmetrical gardens. The interiors contain original furniture, tapestries, and art collections.
The Loire Valley features Gothic cathedrals, Renaissance châteaux and medieval squares. From Saint-Gatien Cathedral to Château de Chenonceau, each location displays architectural details: towers, stone walls, decorated facades and geometric gardens. The city of Tours combines half-timbered houses, bridges over the Loire, religious buildings and public squares with century-old trees. Saint-Gatien Cathedral rises with its two towers and stained glass windows from the 13th century in the heart of Tours. Château de Chenonceau spans the Cher River with its galleries and French gardens. Place Plumereau in the historic center is surrounded by medieval houses with wooden beams. The Loire châteaux such as Amboise, Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau offer photographs of white stone facades, towers and terraced gardens. The banks of the Loire reveal sandy beaches, old stone bridges and vineyards stretching along the river.
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