Château Gaillard, Heritage castle in Alès, France

Château Gaillard stands in Alès, in the Gard, on ground that rises above the town. The castle is built of local limestone, with thick walls, several inner courtyards and defensive works set on the higher terrain. Gardens with terraces and wooded areas link the different parts of the estate.

Château Gaillard takes its name from a 16th-century fortified house built on the heights above Alès, in the Gard. Its limestone walls and terraced grounds were laid out for defence before the estate was turned over to gardens and the cultivation of orange trees, a practice tied to the region's milder climate.

The estate served as a center for horticultural innovation and orange cultivation, which is reflected in how the gardens and grounds are laid out. Visitors can still see traces of this gardening tradition in the structured plantings and older trees throughout the property.

The estate can be explored on marked paths that vary in difficulty and pass through wooded areas and gardens. Visitors should wear appropriate footwear since some paths can be uneven and the elevated location means some walks require more effort.

The 16th-century garden at Château Gaillard was laid out for growing orange trees, a fruit then rare north of the Mediterranean. Look for the terraced ground and older trees that mark where these plantings stood, a detail most visitors pass without noticing.