Sights of France - Castle of Villandry. Antique Villandry Castle in France Villandry Castle - Gardens

Villandry Castle was built in the 16th century by Finance Minister Jean Le Breton on the site of an old building that was razed to the ground, leaving the foundation of the 12th century and one tower to which new buildings were added. Previously, Jean Le Breton was ambassador to Rome, from where he transferred the traditions and best examples of garden art from the period of the Italian Renaissance. The construction of the castle, partially surrounded by a moat, ended in 1536. Thus, this castle is considered the last of the Renaissance-style palaces built on the Loire.

A large paved U-shaped courtyard formed by the wings is open towards the valley. The main wing and two perpendicular lateral ones with open lower arcades follow the classical principles of symmetry, however, the foundation of the old castle influenced their structure: the lateral wings have different lengths and are not completely parallel.

The descendants of Jean Le Breton were masters of the castle of Villandry until 1754, until he passed into the possession of the Marquis de Castellan, the royal ambassador and a native of the noble family of Provence. The Marquis redid the facades in the classical style, built on the main pavilion, modernized the interiors and built new gardens. In the XIX century, the traditional garden was destroyed in order to create a park around the castle in the English style (in the style of Monceau Park in Paris).

In 1906, the Spaniard bought Villandry - Dr. Joachim Carvallo, a prominent scientist (ancestor of the current owner). He left his scientific career, which he worked with Professor Charles Richet (Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1913), and completely surrendered to the restoration of the castle of Villandry. The doctor actually saved the castle, which was on the verge of destruction, and recreated the gardens, made in the style of the Renaissance, which were created under Jean Le Breton. Joachim Carvallo was also the founder of the “Historical House” in 1924, the first association that brought together the owners of historical castles, and the initiator of the opening of these architectural monuments to the public.

Villandry Gardens combines two traditions: Gothic - with flowers, medicinal and edible herbs, the best examples of which are presented in monasteries or private estates, and Italian, more decorative and aesthetic with a lot of sheared greens. More than a thousand linden trees have been planted in Villandry gardens, and the total length of hedges is 52 km.

The estate of Villandry is located in a small valley through which a brook flows. The valley has a slope of the relief, which led to the creation of gardens on several levels.

The symbolic garden is a continuation of the castle's living rooms. In order to inspect it whole and understand all the true beauty and the encrypted meaning, you need to climb a hill. The four squares closest to the building are made of shrubs cut in the form of allegory figures of love. Love is shown here in four different ways:

- Tender love symbolized by hearts separated by flames, and masks worn on balls;

- passionate love formed by hearts pierced by arrows. Boxwood arrays are intertwined and represent a labyrinth, which is associated with dance and intricate plexus of fate;

- Fickle love - these are four fans in the corners that symbolize lightness and inconstancy of feelings, also horns and love notes are shown here. This square is dominated by yellow as a symbol of betrayal and deceived love;

- Tragic love it is shown by the blades of swords, and the red flowers prevailing in summer are a symbol of blood shed in duels.

Above the symbolic garden is a garden located around a large pond-mirror and surrounded by a green wall. There are also four small fountains, around them box-shaped box-shaped box-shaped boxes in square containers. It is an ideal place to relax, relax and dream. Nearby is a labyrinth of sheared green walls. Above is a fenced rectangular area where pets graze.

At the lower level there is a garden with an area of \u200b\u200b12.5 thousand square meters. Cabbage, carrots, beets, beans, lettuce and other vegetables are planted in garden beds. The beds are interspersed with apple and pear trees shaped like trellises. In front of the plants there are information plates explaining their symbolic meanings: pumpkin - fertility, cabbage - licentiousness, etc. In addition, they inform about the healing properties of each. Fountains originally intended for irrigation constitute an additional element of decoration of this garden. Around the fountains are four benches under semicircular pergolas, entwined with fragrant roses. A similar layout dates back to ancient times.

The terrain allows you to view the Villandry gardens from above. This can be done from the castle tower, which offers the prospect of a village with the bell tower of the Romanesque church and a view of the Loire and Chera valleys. You can enjoy breathtaking views from two balconies specially arranged on a wooded slope.

The castle and gardens of Villandry are classified as historical monuments. Anyone can visit them at all times of the year, both individually and in a group accompanied by a guide. You can also enjoy traditional French dishes in the restaurant located on the castle grounds.

Address: France, 15 km west of the city of Tours
Start of construction: XVI century
End of construction: XVIII century
Main Attractions: gardens, dungeon, interior of the castle of the XVIII century
Coordinates: 47 ° 20′26 ″ N, 0 ° 30′51 ″ E

Content:

Short description

The amazingly beautiful gardens of Villandry Castle, its luxurious interior and enchanting appearance, annually attracts the attention of hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world.

This is not at all surprising, almost every traveler after visiting the French castle of Villandry, sharing his impressions, speaks of an amazing, literally magical atmosphere, which every centimeter of the castle and the surrounding land is “saturated with”. “As soon as you get to the territory of the castle of Villandry, it seems as if you are transported many centuries ago.

Two "wings" of the castle

Everything around us speaks of luxury, of great taste, of a person’s desire to create a unique interior, which has no equal in the world, ”- these words can be heard from people who have already managed to visit the elegant Castle of Villandry,“ successfully ”located on the shore of the longest and the beautiful French river Loire, near the town of Tours.

However, in fairness, it is worth noting that France is rich in historical monuments of history and architecture, but the castle of Villandry is among the selected number of castles of the Loire, which, of course, cannot but affect its popularity among tourists and people who want to learn more about history France, features of its culture, national traditions.

View of the main castle tower

Villandry Castle - History

The history of the castle dates back to the 1200s. In those days, the ancient structure was more like a fortification than a castle and, of course, was a "tidbit" for many ill-wishers. However, according to historical facts, it was within the walls of this fortress that the most important meeting of the two kings of France and England took place. On June 4, 1189, the peace treaty of Aze-le-Rideau was signed between the countries in favor of the French king Philippe-Augustus.

The fortified castle of Villandry for several centuries was most likely a haven for soldiers, rather than an elegant castle with large rooms and a luxurious interior. Only in the mid-1500s, when the ownership of the castle was transferred to Secretary of State Francis I Jean le Breton, did this building survive its rebirth.

Water canal view

Guiding by order of the head of state the construction of no less luxurious chambers Chambord and Fontainebleau, Jean le Breton decides to take up the construction of his own property, which would stand out among the usual, for that time, palaces and castles. His plans included the construction of a truly luxurious, impressive architecture unusual for France, a castle that would differ in its festive appearance from the existing harsh fortresses dating back to the Middle Ages. To bring his ideas to life, Jean le Breton orders to demolish almost all the ancient buildings of Villandry, with the exception of the main tower located inside the fortress (donjon).

View of the castle and the main tower

It is not known for certain how long the construction of the new building lasted, however, the start date of construction in historical sources is listed as the year 1536. Having leveled the ancient castle, Jean le Breton erects a new building, reminiscent of an openwork horseshoe in form, the main entrance of which overlooks the famous Loire. According to many modern architects, the two "wings" of the building are made in the classical style of the Renaissance. Quite impressive size windows are typical for them, framed by pilasters (half-columns), crowned with capitals; spiral curls with the so-called “eye” in the center; niches, referred to in architectural circles as tympans. At the same time, arched galleries were built that adorned both sides of the courtyard.

View of the Garden of Love at Villandry Castle

Jean la Breton, on behalf of the monarch, repeatedly visited Italy with a diplomatic mission, which gave the government official the opportunity to get acquainted closely with the unique masterpieces of Romanesque artists whose works belong to the Renaissance. Among them are unique paintings of amazing garden "ensembles", striking in their clear geometry and harmony with the architecture of the building. Jean le Breton, taking as a basis what he saw in Italy, also decides to replace the bulky ramparts with hedges. However, the French gardens at Villandry Castle occupy a much larger area than their "Italian patterns".

In 1754, the castle became the property of the Marquis de Castellana, who decided to make a new reconstruction of the castle of Villandry.

View of the Villandry gardens from the castle

However, his plans are not restoration work, destroyed under the influence of time parts of the building, but his reconstruction in the architectural style of his time. Then the window openings were slightly modified, which became much smaller and received an arched frame. In addition, balconies were added, new rooms were added at the expense of the former colonnades, now replaced by walls. In this form, the castle lasted almost two centuries.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Villandry Castle is undergoing another reconstruction. Outstanding and well-known in medical circles, Dr. Carvallo, he is the future head of the Association of Historic Monuments Owners, known as a great connoisseur of the world of beauty, gives the idea of \u200b\u200breturning to the castle of Villandry its original form.

Villandry Gardens

This decision was almost immediately approved by the government, which allowed Dr. Carvallo to take over all the organizational and construction issues regarding the implementation of his ideas.

According to the opinions of modern historians and archaeologists, the appearance of the castle of Villandry, including the adjacent territory, was only partially reconstructed. For example, window openings acquired their original appearance, the arcade gallery was restored, gardens were transplanted, however, construction work did not affect the south side of the building’s facade and the interior of some of the castle’s premises.

Villandry Castle - Inner Luxury

Traveling around the world and admiring the luxury or, on the contrary, the asceticism of the interior decoration of castles and palaces, the tourist, finding himself for the first time in the French castle of Villandry, will be extremely surprised to see the splendor and wealth that this castle is famous for all over the world.

Canteen

Indeed, the interior is striking in its beauty, no matter where the traveler is in. In many of them, you can see armchairs and chairs of the XVIII century, made of precious wood and upholstered in silk fabric, produced at the famous weaving mill in the city of Tura, which, by the way, still functions today. The bedrooms, which are quite numerous in the castle, delight with their beauty and were intended both for guests and for the owners of Villandry and their children.

The room of Prince Jerome, who, as is known from history, was the younger brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, and who for several years had been the owners of Villandry during the existence of the French Empire, was restored.

Castle kitchen

The red color of the room speaks for itself: furniture made from expensive mahogany; curtains to match the furniture; walls draped with red cloth - all this emphasizes belonging to the greatest, richest and most powerful Empire.

It is impossible not to say about the living rooms, and to be precise, about their ceiling decoration. First of all, I would like to note their domed shape, but the “highlight” is the unique pattern made of many layers of wood, each of which in turn is covered with gold. In total, Villandry Castle has four living rooms. Today you can see such a unique ceiling of its kind, you can only in one of them. The remaining three ceiling patterns are on display at prestigious museums in Europe.

Prince Jerome's Room

Of course, having visited Villandry Castle with an excursion group, the tourist is offered a unique opportunity to visit one of the castle towers. The beautiful view that opens to every traveler to the valley will remain in memory for many years. Is it possible to compare with anything else the beauty of two simultaneously flowing rivers of the Loire and Cher? By the way, not so long ago, this landscape was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Villandry Castle - Gardens

It would be an unforgivable mistake when talking about Villandry Castle, just in passing to mention its gardens located around the castle on three (!) Levels. As mentioned above, Jean le Breton, having studied the intricacies of the art of gardening, which were embodied in the paintings of Italian artists, decided to set up gardens in his castle. Nowadays, they are fully restored and are real masterpieces that do not leave indifferent any traveler.

Dr. Carvalho's wife's bedroom, Anne Coleman

The upper level of the gardens, which some guides refer to as the “Water Mirror”, is an ensemble consisting of a smooth lake, around which fruit trees are located, and between them winding small paths.

The average level of the gardens, divided into four large squares, according to the idea of \u200b\u200bthe "author", coincides with the first level of the castle of Villandry. Its name is translated from French as "Gardens of Love." The garden is a kind of reflection of the concept of "love", where there is passion, and hatred, and tenderness and tragedy. The decorator managed to realize all these feelings with the help of all kinds of axle boxes of the bush. A heart pierced by an arrow, love notes, horns, masks, tongues of flame - all this is easy to see in the unique flowering squares.

Gardens

It is also worth adding that in the south side of the “Garden of Love” three arrays in the form of a rhombus grow simultaneously. They represent three heraldic symbols: the Basque Country Cross, Malta Cross and Languedoc Cross.

The lower level is the real small gardens where carrots, beets, pumpkins, cabbage grow. In addition, fruit trees are planted, preference is given to apple trees and pears. The composition is framed by small fountains in the shape of an eight-pointed star, which on the one hand serve for watering, and on the other, play the role of decorating this unique fruit and vegetable garden. Although, it is worth noting that at present, watering and irrigation of the entire garden is carried out due to the water channel, which literally "surrounds" the entire territory of the castle of Villandry.

View of the castle pond

By the way, the seeds of some local plants are sold on the territory of Castle Villandry, so every tourist, if desired, can buy this unique souvenir in memory, so that, planting it in his homeland, remember the unique and inimitable French garden.

Villandry Castle - Tourist Memo

Today, Villandry Castle is a monument of history and architecture, which invites everyone to it daily. Experienced travelers advise many tourists who find themselves in France in the city of Tours, known to many by the Cathedral of Saint-Gatien, not to spare the time and, if possible, make a trip to the castle of Villandry.

The fortress of Villandry has been standing on this place for a long time, it was here that on July 4, 1189, the historic meeting of the King of France Philippe Augustus with the English monarch Henry II Plantagenet took place, as a result of which the peace agreement of Aze-le-Rideau was signed

In the XVI century, Jean le Breton, the personal secretary of Francis I, settled here, who supervised the construction of the Chambord and Fontainebleau residences.

Feeling all its importance, Le Breton decided to get comfortable, for which he demolished all the ancient buildings except the central donjon and erected in their place a chic Renaissance castle in the shape of a horseshoe

The courtyard of the new castle, surrounded on both sides by an arcade gallery, faces towards the Loire, and both its wings are still considered an example of Renaissance architecture.

Villandry also owes his gardens to the royal secretary, who spent quite a long time in Italy as an ambassador, where he studied the intricacies of the art of gardening from paintings by Italian Renaissance artists.

As a result, taking up the creation of unique gardens that have no analogues anywhere else in France, Le Breton created a truly amazing composition consisting of three levels ...

On the upper terrace, a water mirror, the royal secretary laid out a fruit garden with cozy paths passing between the trees

On the middle terrace, located approximately at the level of the first floor of the castle, he arranged the so-called "Gardens of Love", which will be discussed below

On the lower terrace, the Scotsman arranged a decorative garden, on colorful flower beds of which vegetables, such as pumpkin, cabbage, carrots and beets, and fruit trees, which are dominated by apple and pear, are closely crammed

It offers a beautiful view of the village with the high bell tower of the Romanesque church, and the landscape is completed by low fountains in the form of eight-pointed stars, originally used to water plants and trees

One of the terraces opens to the Audience Pavilion - a kind of gazebo where you can hide from the heat

The gardens are surrounded by a canal that serves both for irrigation and for framing.

The Gardens of Love by Villandry are 4 regular squares: the northwest is planted in the shape of hearts stricken with arrows and personifies passionate love; in the northeast square, plants of yellow shades are planted, which should portray infidelity; the south-western sector consists of hearts divided by tongues of flame, symbolizing tender feelings; the southeastern square is planted with spearheads and blood-red flowers, personifying tragic love. Three large rhomboid massifs at the edge of the terrace, depicting Languedoc, Maltese and Basque crosses complete the picture.

Let's walk a little more through the gardens of Villandry

Villandry Castle remained in the ownership of the Le Breton family for more than two centuries, until 1754, when it passed into the possession of the royal ambassador Marquis de Castellan, who decided to "keep up with the times" and arranged the interiors in the style of the latest fashion of the XVIII century. As a result, the beautiful colonnades on the ground floor were replaced by the faceless walls of kitchens and corridors, and elegant Renaissance windows were "diversified" by arches and balconies

Such a castle would have survived to our time, if not for the initiative of Dr. Joaquim Carvalho, who decided to restore the unique Renaissance appearance of Villandry.

Thanks to Carvalho, the restoration of the castle began in 1906, during which the windows were restored to their original appearance, the colonnades on the first floor were restored and the magnificent gardens were transplanted again. Nowadays only the remodeled interiors and the southern facade remind of the whims of the Marquis de Castellan

Let's walk a little through the castle interiors. By the way, in most rooms you can find such chairs and armchairs of the XVIII century, upholstered in silk from the famous factory in Tours, still engaged in the production of this fabric

The dining room, remodeled by the Marquis de Castellana in the spirit of the 18th century, lost as a result the old tapestries on the walls, which were replaced by panels of the times of Louis XV, and the marble floor was covered with parquet

The kitchen is the simplest castle room, with terracotta tiles on the floor, a large fireplace and masonry. Here you can see all the elements of the old kitchen: oak table, copper pots and pans and the like.

A large limestone staircase was built by the Marquis de Castellana in the courtyard, in place of the old octagonal staircase. On the iron railing, you can see the initials of the marquise

The bedrooms on the first floor were traditionally intended for the owner and for his guests. They were also restored, but only the interiors of the 18th century were restored, because to our time there is no evidence of how these rooms looked before the alterations of Castellano

This bright room at one time belonged to Napoleon's younger brother, Prince Jerome, who owned the castle of Villandry for several years during the period of the Empire. Accordingly, the design and furniture of this room are made in imperial style: mahogany furniture, red silk curtains and draperies, as well as military signs and spears on the walls

And in this bedroom lived the wife of Dr. Carvalho, Anne Coleman. Here you can see portraits of three of the couple’s six children.

Four living rooms are located in the corners of Villandry's residence, each with a unique dome. The ceiling of the eastern living room was created in Toledo in the 15th century and is a pattern of many layers of wood covered with gilding

During the restoration of Joaquim Carvalho, only one of these ceilings was restored in the palace, the other three adorn the exhibitions of prestigious international museums today

It took a whole year to reassemble this ceiling from 3,600 individual parts. Built in Mudejar style by Moorish craftsmen for their Spanish patrons, this ceiling combines decorative elements of both Christian and Moorish art: Franciscan cords, shells, flowers and royal coats of arms mixed with bizarre patterns, gilding and arabesques

On the second floor there are two small children's bedrooms with small toys, old books, embroidered clothes and a cradle

The castle tower allows you to view the Villandry Garden from a bird's eye view. In addition, it offers a beautiful view of the valley, along which the Loire and Cher flow in parallel for almost fifteen kilometers. This landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Villandry Castle Gardens
(Chateau de Villandry)

Previously, Jean Le Breton was ambassador to Rome, from where he transferred the traditions and best examples of garden art from the period of the Italian Renaissance. The construction of the castle, partially surrounded by a moat, ended in 1536. Thus, this castle is considered the last of the Renaissance-style palaces built on the Loire.

The estate of Villandry is located in a small valley through which a brook flows. The valley has a slope of the relief, which led to the creation of gardens on several levels.

The symbolic garden is a continuation of the castle's living rooms. In order to inspect it whole and understand all the true beauty and the encrypted meaning, you need to climb a hill. The four squares closest to the building are made of shrubs cut in the form of figures – allegories of love. Love is shown here in four different ways:

Tender love is symbolized by hearts divided by flames and masks worn on balls;

- passionate love formed by hearts pierced by arrows. Boxwood arrays are intertwined and represent a labyrinth, which is associated with dance and intricate plexus of fate;

- Tragic love it is shown by the blades of swords, and the red flowers prevailing in summer are a symbol of blood shed in duels.

In this part, which I announced a few days ago, I will show you another castle of the Loire Valley. Given my dislike of the tourist attractions that have been swept over by millions of feet, it would be strange to expect us to go there. This is one of the most famous French castles, with tons of paper guides and terabytes on the Internet crammed with stories about him and his photographs.

But I still included him in the route. There were several good reasons for this. And Villandry not only did not disappoint us, but also became an adornment of our vacation and route.

So what were the good reasons that prompted me to add Villandry to the route? What is so unique about him?

Firstly, the gardens. I love any gardens and plants. I love tomatoes - to smell and eat; flowers - to smell, admire and take pictures; regular gardens - inspect, rustle with pebbles underfoot on the paths and admire the grace of forms and the skill of topiary artists; English parks - well, you understand already ..

I am especially interested in parks and gardens, which are not just filled with plants, but created with some sense, idea. Here the gardens of Villandry is just such an amazing work of art. This is a picturesque canvas, and theatrical stages, and a living embodiment of legends, in which plants play the main roles.

(photo from here)

Secondly, the history of the castle. But not the part of it in which the crowned persons and intrigues of the courtiers (which, by the way, have never been here before), but the period of restoration, reconstruction, is actually the story of one family that devoted its whole life to the revival, reconstruction of this castle and its gardens . And they did it with incredible scrupulousness and love, with a careful and deep insight into the essence, idea and purpose.

Well finally , this castle was radically different from the chamber and gentle, like a lady’s casket, Aze le Rideau, which we had already visited (if someone had not read it).

Generally speaking, the “castles of the Loire" is a separate tourist attraction, offered in any travel agency. I did not want to join the general tourist roundabout flow, so for the vacation program I selected several castles that would be as different as possible from each other. In the end, even though they were turned into a candy licked to gloss, into emasculated scenery, they are basically based on a real story of real people, a series of times, feelings, emotions and events.

So what is unique to Villandry? Well, firstly, he is not a royal residence, and not even a gift to any courtesan or favorite. The first owner was Jean Le Breton - Minister of Finance under Francis I.

Once upon a time there was a feudal fortress, in the donjon of which on July 4, 1189 a peace treaty was signed between the king of England, Henry II Plantagenet, who recognized his defeat, and the king of France Philippe-Augustus. Exactly two days after this, Henry II passed away.

And it was on the ruins of this fortress in 1532 that Jean Le Breton began construction. He was fond of architecture, had a great taste, and as a result, Villandry turned out to be harmonious, graceful, beautifully integrated into the landscape and rather laconic, devoid of turrets, conical roofs and other р rivulets ’so fashionable at that time.

The part of the dungeon where the famous document was signed, by the way, remained. This architectural element, like the battlements on the upper part of the wall, recalls the historical mission of the fortress-predecessor of Villandry.

Jean Le Breton was an ambassador in Rome, where he became interested in architecture and studied with interest the art of arranging gardens. And then he used all this with taste and great success in Villandry. However, the subsequent owners for many decades did not much care about the safety of this beauty. And by the beginning of the 20th century, when Joachim Carvallo came to inspect him, the castle, due to the changes made and windows added, looked more like a barracks, and there was no trace of the garden.

Joachim Carvallo at that time was a promising scientist, physician who, being a favorite student of the laureateThe Nobel Prize Karl Richet, under his leadership, was engaged in research in the physiology of digestion. But he gave up a promising career, bought Villandry and, together with his wife Anne Coleman, an American from a wealthy family of industrialists, set about restoring the original appearance of the castle.

(photo from here)

He delved into historical documents, looked for eyewitness accounts, conducted whole research, supervised the work of masons and gardeners, and ultimately succeeded incredibly! Now there are several interactive structures installed in the garden that allow all visitors using the frames of the chronicle to get an idea of \u200b\u200bthe volume of work that Mr. Carvallo had to do.

In 1924 he founded the “Historical House” society, which brought together all the owners of such real estate. And it was he who initiated the idea to open these locks to the public. He opened Villandry to visitors in 1920. Now his business is being continued by his great-grandson Henri Carvallo.

We began our inspection with the interiors. There is something to see. Authentic household items, furniture, beautiful parquet, a magnificent collection of paintings. And, of course, beautiful views from the windows overlooking the garden and vegetable garden.

And my favorite theme is the kitchen! Copper, glossy sides of basins and pans, paths trampled on the stone floor for centuries, a stove, a light aroma of smoked prunes and thick chairs - all my favorites, yes.

Baby with a cradle.

Bedroom with windows overlooking the garden.

Children's bedroom with a number of books on a shelf, with toys and a cozy bed.

And a games room with a huge dollhouse in the form of Willandry himself and a glove puppet theater.

Another treasure is the ceiling in the eastern living room. He was brought here by Carvallo in 1905. This ceiling was part of the Count's palace of Makeda, built in the 15th century in Toledo. The palace was dismantled, and three of its four Moorish wooden, inlaid ceilings are now in Madrid at the National Archaeological Museum, and the fourth, thanks to Mr. Carvallo, can be seen by all visitors to Villandry. This is just a masterpiece! Incredibly subtle, complex work, creating a fantastic game of volumes, colors and light. Very beautiful!

And there are flowers everywhere! Each room has several vases filled with fresh, fragrant, fragrant, cut out bouquets here, in the garden.

Villandry Gardens are unique. I did not make a reservation - it was the gardens. Because it is not one garden, but a whole complex of different gardens. Pharmaceutical garden with herbs and drugs, Ornamental garden, Garden of Love, Garden of Music, Garden of Water, Garden of the Sun, created recently. They are all full of symbolism, each has its own philosophy and legend. You can and should walk around them for hours, enjoying and finding something amazing and beautiful at every turn.

The Garden of Love, consisting of "pictograms" in which Passionate Love, Windy Love, Tragic Love are encrypted.

Garden-Garden was created in the image and likeness of the monastery "garden" gardens. Here, all the ornaments are made up of vegetables, greens, spicy herbs selected by color. Twice a year, the garden is planted with vegetables. Each year, the exposition changes in accordance with considerations of harmony, conservation of soil fertility and chemical-free farming. Forty types of vegetables and herbs are planted here every season, watering is carried out using an automatic system located below the surface of the earth.

From different points from the garden and from different rooms of the castle, different views of the garden open, each of which is incredibly good.

There is also a small shop where you can buy seeds and seedlings of everything that is grown in Villandry gardens.

I could not resist and brought back a wonderful souvenir - sets of seeds. This year, due to any unpleasant events, it was not possible to sow them, but they have a long shelf life - next year I will have time to try them out. If the result is not ashamed to show, I will definitely demonstrate it to you, do not hesitate!

In the meantime, they lie and remind us that dreams and hard work can give a rich harvest of joy and beauty that people can enjoy for many, many generations to come.

About 20 kilometers southwest of Tours is the Castle of Villandry, considered one of Touraine's jewels. Once upon a time there was a vast Roman estate "Villa Andriaca", hence the name of the territory. Castle Villandry, whose construction in its final form was completed around 1536, is the last of the large castles that were built on the banks of the Loire during the Renaissance.

In 1000, the area for unknown reasons was dubbed Colombier (French "dovecote"), however, not forever - in 1639 the historical name will return. But in the annals of the difficult relations between France and England, the local fortress will fall under the "bird" name: July 4, 1189, a few days before the death of Henry II Plantagenet signed here the so-called "Pigeon World" (Paix de Colombiers). This humiliating agreement with Philip-August marked the victory of the Capetians over their English vassals and the transfer to their possession of many territories, including Touraine. A hint of feathered remains in the way the locals are still called: Colombiens.

According to his requirements, Henry II, was to abandon most of his possessions in France in favor of Philip. By that time, the health of the ruler of England was severely undermined, and the French monarch, seeing the poor condition of his opponent, invited Henry to sit down. But he refused and continued to stand, supported by his personal guard. There is no doubt that his already sad condition worsened when he saw his son, the then Earl of Poitou (and future King Richard the Lionheart), at the talks, who sided with his worst enemy, the King of France, in his fight against his father. Overwhelmed by anger, King Henry II vowed to cruelly take revenge on Richard, but died 3 days later, cursing his own traitor son.

At the beginning of the 16th century, the owner of the castle was Jean le Breton, Minister of Finance under King Francis I. In addition to his main activities in finance and trade, he possessed significant architectural knowledge. For several years he was the construction manager of the Chambord castle. As a French ambassador in Italy, he was interested in architectural innovations and landscape design.

Initially, the village and the estate bore the common name "Colombiers" ("Pigeon Perches"). Jean le Breton found this name too generalized, and since he was in good standing at the court of the king, he was allowed to change not only the name of the village and the castle, but also his own title pronunciation. So Jean le Breton soon became known as Monsignor de Villandry.

In turn, the castle was supposed to emphasize the important social position of its owner, so Jean le Breton and his family, without hesitation, invested significant financial resources to ennoble both the castle itself and the surrounding area. It is not known for certain whether Jean le Breton was an honest official, or, on the contrary, was very dodgy, but he did not suffer the shameful fate of the owners of the castles Azeu-le-Rideau and Chenonceau, who lost their property. In 1619, his grandson Balthazar was even granted the noble title of Marquise de Villandry.

The descendants of Jean le Breton retained Villandry until 1754, when the castle became the property of the Marquis de Castellane, the royal ambassador and a native of a very famous family of Provencal nobles. On his orders, extensions were made in the classical style on both sides of the front yard. He redid the interior of the castle, adapting it to the standards of comfort of the XVIII century: decorated windows, added balconies, blocked the wall of the courtyard to accommodate the kitchen.

This species of Villandry was preserved until 1906. The castle itself is a three horseshoe-shaped building facing the river. Cross-shaped window frames, attics, steep slopes of the roofs form a rare harmonious complex. Not everything was saved - so round towers with pointed conical roofs did not reach us. The monumental architecture of the castle was affected by the influence of a simpler style, which was later called the style of Henry IV

In the XIX century, the traditional garden was destroyed in order to create a park around the castle in the English style (in the style of Monceau Park in Paris).

In 1906, the castle was acquired by the great-grandfather of today's owners, Dr. Joachim Carvallo, who headed the Association of Owners of Historic Monuments. He gives up a brilliant scientific career led by Professor Charles Richet (1913 Nobel Prize in Medicine) in order to devote his life exclusively to Villandry. He saves the castle from destruction and recreates the gardens on the model of the garden of the XVI century. Finding the initial project created by Androis du Cerso, Carvallo recreated the park structure, led straight paths along which lawns with flowers are located, planted lime alleys, hedges, skillfully trimmed by gardeners, reproduced the amazing herbariums of medieval monks.

The doctor actually saved the castle, which was on the verge of destruction, and created gardens that are in perfect harmony with the architecture of the castle, made in the style of the Renaissance, gardens that we can enjoy to this day.

Joachim Carvallo was also the founder in 1924 of the “Historic House”, the first association that brought together the owners of historic castles. He was the first to decide to open these architectural monuments to the general public.

Clickable 3000 px, panorama

Villandry Castle has several unique features. His courtyard is not fenced with castle buildings, but on the contrary is absolutely open from the outside. With this configuration, the castle completely lost its protective functions, and was a cozy mansion, offering magnificent views of the Sher River from its windows. Jean le Breton decided to keep the main tower of the old fortress, thereby emphasizing the castle’s belonging to the feudal time, organically fitting it into the complex of buildings of the Renaissance. Tower spiral staircase was redone to fully convey the flavor of the XII century. Unlike Versailles, built a century later, the seemingly rigorous geometry of Villandry is actually nothing more than an optical illusion, although when viewed from the side, the main buildings are located at right angles to each other.

Architecturally, Villandry Castle is a vivid representative of the late French Renaissance and the last of the castles on the Loire coast, built during this period. There is no hint of Italy and the Middle Ages, a purely French style reigns here, anticipating what would later be called the style of Henry IV. The configuration of the castle is based on the principle of symmetry, but so that the ensemble as a whole does not create a feeling of monotony, the windows of the main residential building are not aligned exactly in its middle part, and the wings of the building are slightly different in length and are located at different angles. On the ground floor there is a dining room and kitchen, here you can see the layout of the castle. Above are several rooms open to the public and a gallery featuring works of art by Spanish realists. From the third floor you can go to the ancient dungeon and enjoy the beautiful view of the palace gardens and the Cher Valley.

Although it is better to admire the gardens during a leisurely walk - this is a separate attraction. Joaquin Carvalho recreated them in the image of the gardens of the 16th and 18th centuries.

Gardens are located on three levels. On the upper terrace are the Water Garden and the Garden of the Sun, on the middle - an ornamental decorative garden, a maze in the Renaissance style and a pharmacy garden. At the lowest level is a picturesque garden garden.

Surrounded by linden trees, the Water Garden has a classic Louis XV style layout with a large mirror pond in the center. The jets of fountains in the garden resemble royal lilies.

The highest in the southern part of the castle is the Garden of the Sun. The work on its creation was completed by the current owner of the castle, Henri Carvalho in the spring of 2008, on the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the restoration of the gardens by his great-grandfather Joaquin Carvalho. The sun garden consists of three parts. Shrubs and plants with blue and white flowers form the "room of clouds." A fountain in the form of a star surrounds a "sunny room", designed in yellow and orange. And the last "room" - "nursery" - a playground for kids among the apple trees.

Part of the ornamental decorative garden, which is a continuation of the castle’s living rooms, is called the Gardens of Love. The skillfully trimmed shrub and flowers in four squares represent various forms of this feeling: fleeting, passionate, tender and tragic love. From the left edge, if you look at the Gardens of Love from the belvedere, you can see three crosses - Maltese, Basque and Languedoc, as well as stylized lilies.

On the other side of the canal is the second part of the decorative garden - the “music” salon, where the shape of the sheared shrub resembles some stringed instruments (lyre, harp), musical notes, candelabra to illuminate the score.

Nine squares of the same size with different geometric patterns on the lower level - this is a garden garden created according to the ideas of the famous Andrue du Cerso.

The squares are planted with vegetables of various colors: blue leek, red cabbage and beets, green tops of carrots, peppers, eggplant and others; as well as fruit trees, rosehip seedlings and flowers.

French gardeners of the 16th century combined two traditions: the monastery (the monks often gave the beds a geometric shape, often the shape of a cross) and Italian (decorative elements: arbors, fountains and flower beds). Such gardens-decorative gardens were described by the famous 16th-century architect Andruet du Cerso, and Joaquim Carvalho recreated them in the early 20th century.

The building restored the atmosphere of the XVIII century. The castle tower overlooks the Loire and Chera valleys. Climbing to the roof is simply necessary in order to be able to look out over all the gardens of Villandry.

Villandry's originality lies not only in an innovative architectural concept, but also in the use of the landscape, thanks to which gardens of unsurpassed beauty are grown near the castle, and which are in complete harmony with nature and stone.

Joachim Carvallo and his wife collected 17th-century Spanish painting - the “golden age" of Spanish painting. And when in 1906 they acquired Villandry, then one of the goals was to find a place for the collection, which then gained great fame. Villandry owns approximately 50 paintings and today's owners seek to restore the original collection. All works of painting belong to the Spanish realistic movement - a magnificent combination of Flemish and Italian designs.

One of the most amazing sights of the castle is the Arabian ceiling. It was brought from the palace of the princes de Makeda, built in the 15th century in Toledo. This house had 4 corner living rooms, each of which had a dome with wooden multi-colored gilded caissons. The palace was destroyed in 1905.

Now the three ceilings of their palace are preserved in major international museums. Well, the fourth was brought by Joachim Carvallo to Villandry Castle in the form of 3600 pieces. It took a year to put this puzzle back together. This Mudejar-style Spanish-Moorish ceiling was created by Moorish masters for Spanish owners and is a mixture of decorative and significant elements of Christian and Moorish art. Franciscan twine, the shells of St. Jacques from Compostel, an ornament of flowers and heraldry of sovereigns are combined with stucco, gilding and Arabic script.

In the dining room there is an interesting fireplace, whose pipe is made in the shape of a palm tree.

The main thing worth going to Villandry is, of course, its gardens. They planted 1,150 lindens, and the total length of hedges is approximately 52 km. Every year, 250 thousand seedlings of flowers and vegetables are transplanted in the gardens. Weeding occurs completely by hand, so as not to damage the very fragile roots of boxwood. Flowers are planted so that each variety blooms in its season, replacing others.

Le Breton, who performed the mission of Ambassador Francis I in Italy, had a chance to see many gardens, including the villas d’Este and Lante, planned by the famous masters of the Italian Renaissance, gardens that organically merged with the architecture of the buildings, playing a kind of accompaniment to them. These Italian gardens were characterized by strict geometric lines and a pronounced architectonic solution. Based on the Italian model, French gardens, however, occupy large areas, make walls unnecessary and, as it were, reduce the external volumes of buildings. Their wide alleys are bordered by flowering parterres, the contours of which are emphasized by a hedge of trimmed shrubs. Villandry Gardens is the best fit for these requirements.

Gardens are divided into three levels. The highest - first level - this Water Garden (Jardin d’eau). Inspired by classicism, it is placed around a large body of water created in the shape of a Louis XV mirror. A mirror is a pond with rare aquatic plants. Water is taken from the pond both for irrigation and for the functioning of fountains. The water garden is an ideal place for unhurried thoughts in hot weather.

The second level, lying on the same level with the halls of the lower floor, is Regular Garden (Le jardin d’ornement)consisting of three thematic sites: Garden of Love (Jardin d’amour), Garden of Music (Jardin de la musique) and Garden of Medicinal Herbs (Jardin des simples). Flowers and herbs are planted among short-cut shrubs forming a whimsical ornament.

Designing Garden of love, the creator of the park wanted hedges to represent the forms of love. There are four, according to the author. ’

Tender love- hearts divided in corners by the lights of a love flame. In the center are masks that were worn over the eyes during balls and allowed to conduct any conversations from the most serious to the most frank.

Fickle (fleeting) love- four fans in the corners symbolize the ease of feelings. Between these fans are the horns of treason. In the center are love letters or notes that a windy woman sends to her lover. The dominant color of this square is yellow, the color of treason.

passionate love- hearts, but this time broken by passion. Boxwood arrays are intricate and form a maze, there is also a hint of dance.

Tragic love- The drawings represent the blades of daggers and swords used in duels that occur due to rivalry in love. In summer, red flowers bloom here - a symbol of blood shed in the struggle.

Second garden - Garden of music- symbolizes various musical instruments in the orchestra. The large triangles are lyres, next to which are harps. Between the lyres - candlesticks to illuminate the musical score.

Third Garden - Herb Garden. As in medieval gardens, it is located between the garden and the church. The garden has more than 30 types of spicy, medicinal and aromatic herbs. Our ancestors considered all these herbs to be useful for family life. You can identify all of them thanks to the plates.

And finally, the third level - Garden (Rotager)whose area is 12.5 thousand square meters. m. It consists of 9 square beds of the same size, but with different geometric motifs. These square beds are planted with vegetables, the colors of which are combined with each other (blue color of leeks, red color of cabbage and beets, green jade of carrot tops) to create the impression of a multi-colored chessboard. Vegetable plantations are interspersed with apple and pear trees, the branches of which form trellises of alleys.

Fountains originally intended for irrigation constitute an additional element of decoration of this green landscape. In front of the plants there are information plates explaining their symbolic meanings: cabbage - licentiousness, pumpkin - fertility, etc. In addition, they inform about the healing properties of each plant.

The origin of the vegetable garden dates back to the Middle Ages. Monks in their abbeys liked to arrange vegetables in geometric shapes. The numerous crosses of the Villandry garden remind us of these monastery roots. To revitalize the gardens, the monks added roses. Planted symmetrically, they, according to the old tradition, symbolize a monk digging up a vegetable plot.

The Italian influence brings decorative elements to this monastery garden: fountains, arbours entwined with greenery, garden beds with flowers. French gardeners of the 16th century combine these two movements - the monastic French and Italian, and create the garden that they needed for roses and new vegetables brought from America. They call it a "decorative garden." This is exactly what was in the project du Cersault, on the basis of which Carvallo created a modern garden.

Each year, two plantings are made: one in the spring, remaining from March to June, the second - in the summer, remaining from June to October. Each year, approximately 40 types of vegetables are used, belonging to eight botanical families. Here you can not find potatoes, which is an anachronism for the garden of the XVI century. The arrangement of vegetables changes with each planting, subject to, on the one hand, the need for a harmonious combination of color and shape and, on the other hand, horticultural requirements, in accordance with which a 3-year alternation of plantings is necessary so as not to deplete the soil. Irrigation is carried out in a dug automatic irrigation system.

Behind the garden opens the prospect of a village with the bell tower of a Romanesque church. The vegetable garden is perhaps the most unusual part of the Villandry garden ensemble with large multi-colored stalls made up of vegetables and fruit trees. A similar layout dates back to ancient times. In the XVI century. the first botanical gardens were created in which rare plants were grown, originating from the countries of America, unknown until then. Plants were placed in decorative gardens, where they were monitored for their development and acclimatization. The Villandry Garden follows this ancient tradition.

Do not forget about the traditional for France roses. There are a lot of them, they are colorful and very beautiful. But to convey in words the smell in the air is impossible, it is something divine. I want to inhale the aroma, standing in the air, full breasts. Stand and inhale. Fantastic!

To visit these unique gardens, coming to Villandry is a must! The castle hosts various flower festivals. You can find the schedule of events on the official website of the castle. The owners of the castle, the heirs of Dr. Carvallo, who died in 1936, opened a garden mastervo school in Villandry, which exists to this day.

Tip: do not forget to bring bread with you. In the remains of the moat that once surrounded the castle, very gluttonous fish swim!

In the castle you can see the dining room, staircase and art gallery. Of course, none of the tourists remains indifferent when examining the gardens. If you wish, you can organize an exhibition or a conference, a seminar in the castle, making a reservation in advance.

You can get to Villandry Castle in different ways. From Paris by car on the A10 to Saumur, and from there on the A85 to Villandry. By train from Montparnasse station to Tour, and from there by taxi.
From Nantes by car on the A11 road, and then on the A85 highway. By train to Tours or Saint-Pierre-de-Cora, then by taxi.
In addition to taxis in July and August, public transport also runs from Tours to Villandry. It is also recommended to use the bike along the Loire along a special path.

You can contact the castle administration:
Tel: 02 47 50 02 09
Fax: 02 47 50 12 85

France: Castle of Villandry (castles of the Loire)

Castle Villandry differs from other castles of the Loire with its amazing three-level gardens, which have no analogues anywhere else in the world!

The Villandry fortress at this place stood for a long time, it was here that on July 4, 1189, the King of France Philippe-Augustus held a historic meeting with the English monarch Henry II Plantagenet, as a result of which the Azé-le-Rideau peace agreement was signed.

In the XVI century, Jean le Breton, the personal secretary of Francis I, settled here, who monitored the construction of the Chambord and Fontainebleau residences.

The construction of Villandry Castle was completed in 1536, making it the last Renaissance castle belonging to the Loire Valley.

The courtyard of the new castle, surrounded on both sides by an arcade gallery, faces the Loire, and both its wings are still considered an example of Renaissance architecture.

As a result, taking up the creation of unique gardens that have no analogues anywhere else in France, Le Breton created a truly amazing composition consisting of three levels ...

On the upper terrace, which is a water mirror, the royal secretary laid out an orchard with cozy paths passing between the trees.

On the middle terrace, located approximately at the level of the first floor of the castle, he arranged the so-called "Gardens of Love", which will be discussed below.

On the lower terrace, the Scotsman set up a decorative garden, on multi-colored flower beds of which vegetables, such as pumpkin, cabbage, carrots and beets, and fruit trees, which are dominated by apple trees and pears, are crowded closely.

One of the terraces opens to the Audience Pavilion - a kind of gazebo where you can hide from the heat.

The gardens are surrounded by a canal, which serves both for irrigation and for framing.

The Gardens of Love by Villandry are 4 regular squares: the northwest is planted in the shape of hearts stricken with arrows and personifies passionate love; in the northeast square, plants of yellow shades are planted, which should portray infidelity; the south-western sector consists of hearts divided by tongues of flame, symbolizing tender feelings; the southeastern square is planted with spearheads and blood-red flowers, personifying tragic love. Three large rhomboid massifs on the edge of the terrace, depicting Languedoc, Maltese and Basque crosses complete the picture.

Let's walk a little more through the gardens of Villandry.

Villandry Castle remained in the ownership of the Le Breton family for more than two centuries, until 1754, when it passed into the possession of the royal ambassador Marquis de Castellan, who decided to "keep up with the times" and arranged the interiors in the style of the latest fashion of the XVIII century. As a result, the beautiful colonnades on the ground floor were replaced by the faceless walls of the kitchens and corridors, and the elegant Renaissance windows were "diversified" by arches and balconies.

Such a castle would have reached our time, if not for the initiative of Dr. Joaquim Carvalho, who decided to return the unique Renaissance appearance of Villandry. Thanks to Carvalho, the restoration of the castle began in 1906, during which the windows were restored to their original appearance, the colonnades on the first floor were restored and the magnificent gardens were transplanted again. Nowadays only the remodeled interiors and the southern facade remind of the whims of the Marquis de Castellan.

And in this bedroom lived the wife of Dr. Carvalho, Anne Coleman. Here you can see portraits of three of the couple's six children.

During the restoration of Joaquim Carvalho, only one of these ceilings was restored in the palace, the other three are decorated with exhibitions of prestigious international museums today.

It took a whole year to reassemble this ceiling from 3,600 individual parts. Built in Mudejar style by Moorish masters for their Spanish patrons, this ceiling combines decorative elements of both Christian and Moorish art: Franciscan cords, shells, flowers and royal coats of arms mixed with fancy patterns, gilding and arabesques.