Château de la Bourdaisière, Renaissance château in Montlouis-sur-Loire, France
Château de la Bourdaisière is a Renaissance château in Montlouis-sur-Loire, built in pale tufa stone with round towers and set on a low hill surrounded by woodland and gardens. The main building now operates as a hotel, while the grounds and kitchen garden are open to visitors separately.
The château was built in the 15th century for Pierre de Beaune and became known as the birthplace of Gabrielle d'Estrées, a favorite of King Henry IV. It passed through several owners over the centuries before being restored and registered as a historic monument.
The kitchen garden at the château holds one of the largest collections of tomato varieties in France, with hundreds of old and rare types grown each season. Visitors can walk through the rows in summer and see how different the fruits look from one variety to the next.
The château sits about 6 miles (10 km) east of Tours and is easiest to reach by car, with parking available on site. The gardens are best visited in summer when the tomato collection and flower beds are in full growth.
The château is linked to two women who were favorites of French kings: Marie Gaudin and Gabrielle d'Estrées, both connected to this estate in the 16th century. Having two such figures tied to the same house within a single century is rare even by Loire Valley standards.
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