Château de Marqueyssac, Historic castle and gardens in Vézac, France
Château de Marqueyssac is a castle with extensive grounds set high above the Dordogne River. The property features managed gardens with clipped boxwood hedges, limestone pathways, and elevated terraces that connect different levels throughout the site.
Construction began in the 15th century and the site reached its current form in the 17th century under Bertrand Vernet de Marqueyssac during Louis XIV's reign. The family transformed the property into the systematically designed gardens seen today.
The hand-clipped boxwood hedges define the grounds and demonstrate how gardeners maintain traditional French cutting techniques throughout. Visitors notice how these shaped green forms structure the entire landscape and guide the eye across the property.
Several viewpoints are easily reached, including the Belvedere which is accessible by electric shuttle. The maintained pathways lead through all areas and are walkable for most visitors, especially on the flatter sections.
From the clifftop position above the Dordogne, visitors can spot the neighboring castles of Castelnaud and Beynac in the distance. This view reveals how fortifications in the region once controlled river passage.
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