Castle villandry france history briefly. The ancient castle of Villandry in France. Castle gardens of Villandry (Chateau de Villandry)

The elegant Renaissance castle of Villandry rises near the Loire, not far from the building that stood here in ancient times. July 4, 1189, when Villandry was a fortified fortress, there was a meeting of Philip Augustus, king of France, with Henry II Plantagenet, king of England. The conversation between the two sovereigns took place in the medieval southwestern tower and ended with the signing of peace in Aze-le-Rideau in favor of Philippe-Augustus.

Centuries later, ownership was transferred to Jean Le Breton, Secretary of State Francis I, who was entrusted with the construction of the castles of Fontainebleau and Chambord. Jean Le Breton, whose ancestors came from Scotland, decided to build his own castle, which would have an elegant, festive look, different from the harsh appearance of medieval fortresses. He razed the most ancient buildings to the ground, with the exception of the donjon, and starting in 1536 he began construction of a new building, which has a U-shape in relation to the main courtyard overlooking the Loire. Two large wings are typically Renaissance; they are built according to the model of palaces built at the beginning of the 16th century. Their facades are cut through by large windows framed by pilasters with capitals of a classical order, and decorated with friezes and large lucarnas with volutes and tympans.

The wide facades are given light asymmetry (in the lines of the windows, in their length and in the direction of the wings); arched galleries go on both sides of the courtyard.

The castle, partially surrounded by a moat, was decorated with huge gardens located on three different levels. Le Breton, who was carrying out the mission of Ambassador Francis I in Italy, had a chance to see many gardens 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.

The decorative garden of the middle terrace with its exquisite forms resembles the "gardens of love." And indeed, four large squares are decorated with a bush planted in the form of figures - allegories of love. The northwestern massif depicts hearts pierced by an arrow - a symbol of love-passion, while the northeast massif represents fans, horns, love notes - symbols of adultery love, yellow flowers prevail in it. In the south-west - love-tenderness with hearts separated by flames, and masks worn on balls; the last, southeastern, massif represents a tragic love with blades of swords and red blood of duels.

At the southern end of the garden are three large rhomboid-shaped massifs depicting the Cross of Languedoc, the Cross of Malta and the Cross of the Basque Country. On the other side of the moat, there is a garden below; behind it opens the prospect of a village with the bell tower of a Romanesque church. This may be the most unusual part of the 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.

Villandry. Castles of France Villandry's garden garden adheres to this ancient tradition. It was restored thanks to the efforts of Dr. Jochim Carvallo, who at the beginning of this century redesigned the old gardens, inspired by the drawings of Andrue Ducerso. Cabbage, carrots, beets, lettuce are planted in squares; vegetable plantations are interspersed with apple and pear trees, whose branches form trellises of alleys. Fountains originally intended for irrigation constitute an additional element of decoration of this green landscape.

In 1574 the castle belonged to the Marquis de Castellan, who reconstructed it in the spirit of his era: the windows were arched, balconies were added, the colonnade of the courtyard was closed by a wall on the ground floor in order to accommodate kitchens and new corridors. Service rooms located on the north side of the castle protect gardens from the cold winds. The castle retained its appearance until 1906, when Dr. Carvallo, a doctor and a great admirer of the arts, decided to return the castle to its original appearance. Carvallo became the head of the Association, uniting the owners of historical monuments, which allowed to open many castles and palaces to the general public.

Square beds are planted with vegetables, the colors of which are combined with each other. The impression of a multi-colored chessboard:

Between the squares there are arbors with fountains:

The garden is in a hollow. Above it is framed by galleries with a vine:

On the second tier there is a decorative garden:

A little higher is a labyrinth of bushes:

In the middle there is an observation tower, from where all the passages are visible:

So that players do not cheat, in some bushes a grid is installed:

On the side of the garden there is an alley with medicinal herbs:

5000 trees grow in the garden:

At the sight of visitors, hungry fish open their mouths and wait for handouts.

According to the materials of sites: sergeydolya.livejournal.com, francetour.ru

Start with garden locations
It is located at the castle of Villandry in the picturesque valley of the Loire River in France. For information, along this river and its tributaries, a huge number of suburban castles are concentrated on a rectangular stretch of two hundred to one hundred kilometers (according to the references, I counted more than 70 open for visiting) and all with beautiful varied gardens.

A bit of history , without which the paradox of the Villandry gardens is not clear. In 1189 Villandry was a fortified fortress in 1532. the new owner Jean Le Breton destroyed the fortress, leaving one tower to which he added an elegant U-shaped Renaissance castle. The castle, partially surrounded by a moat, was decorated with huge gardens located on three different levels. Le Breton, who performed the mission of Ambassador Francis I in Italy, happened to see many gardens planned by the famous masters of the Italian Renaissance, which were characterized by strict geometric lines and a pronounced architectural design. These Italian gardens were the base model of Villandry gardens.

In 1754, the castle became owned by the Marquis de Castellan, who reconstructed its facades in the spirit of his era and built new pseudo-natural gardens in the romantic taste of Rousseau. Today's delightful terraces have disappeared beneath artificial hills and valleys with paths winding between the hills and dense "beautifully arranged" forests. The castle and gardens kept this look until 1906, when the Spaniard Joachim Carvallo (the grandfather of the current owner), a doctor and a great admirer of the arts, decided to return the castle and gardens to their original appearance. He restored the Renaissance gardens in accordance with the engravings of Jacques Andruet du Cersault, published in 1576-79.

And now the paradox itself is short: on French soil, gardens were built according to the Italian model, which were then replaced by a landscape park, and only thanks to the Spaniard we have the opportunity today to admire these French gardens reconstructed in the medieval style.

Villandry Gardens today
In fact, in my opinion, there are several gardens, each of them is individual and at the same time all together they form a single composition. The best idea of \u200b\u200bthe general composition of the gardens is given by bird's eye view schemes and views.

The gardens are located on three step levels creating theatrical effects. All terraces are interconnected by elegant bridges, ramps and stairs. The upper terrace is located on the third floor of the castle. The middle terrace lies on the same level as the halls of the lower floor, while the lower terrace is separated from the castle by a canal and is occupied by a garden, which, by the way, is most often shown to us. Villandry Gardens, like the Renaissance architecture of French castles, combine two traditions: on the one hand, Gothic, with flowers, medicinal and food herbs, the best examples of which are presented in monasteries or estates, and, on the other hand, an Italian, more architectural tradition.

The general pattern of the gardens is asymmetric, but a single "large-scale grid" is clearly traced, which subordinates the layout of all parts of this beautiful garden complex. (How can you not recall the recommendations of John Brooks). Note that what seems like an elegant pattern formed by squares actually consists of artfully connected trapezoid and rhombuses.

On the upper l-shaped terrace located unfinished Water Garden in the style of Louis XV, broken around a pond in the shape of a mirror. A large mirror of water is framed by a composition of lawns, paths, clipped bushes and four symmetrical round small ponds. This garden is as if in a courtyard formed by linden alleys. Water is taken from the pond for irrigation and fountains. On one side of the terrace the adjoining high forest is decoratively beaten.

Ornamental garden of the middle U-shaped terrace its exquisite forms reminiscent of the "gardens of love." Such gardens rose above utilitarian or decorative functions - to the level of poetry and even philosophy, expressing the sophisticated symbolism of love, earthly and mystical. This garden, exemplary in this sense, evokes plots of trellises, paintings and poems. The regular garden is divided into three thematic areas: the garden of love, the garden of music and the garden of medicinal herbs. Flowers and grasses are planted among short-cut shrubs that form a complex ornament.

Four large squares are decorated with a bush planted in the form of figures - allegories of love. The northwestern massif depicts hearts pierced by an arrow - a symbol of love-passion, while the northeast massif represents fans, horns, love notes - symbols of adultery love, yellow flowers prevail in it. In the south-west - love-tenderness with hearts separated by flames, and masks worn on balls; the last, southeastern, massif represents a tragic love with blades of swords and red blood of duels. At the southern end of the garden are three large rhomboid-shaped massifs depicting the Cross of Languedoc, the Cross of Malta and the Cross of the Basque Country.

On the middle terrace, on the other side of the moat, there is a music garden and a recreated maze. Huge carps and white swans swim in the moat, which visitors feed with pleasure, however, this is typical for many castles in France.

Going around the garden garden, the garden of medicinal plants (Pharmaceutical Garden) is also at the same middle level, an obligatory supplement to any project that recreates Renaissance gardens. This garden includes only plants used exclusively for the manufacture of medical products, seasonings, perfumes and ointments.

Spread out below garden of the lower "square" terrace ; behind it opens the prospect of a village with the bell tower of a Romanesque church. This may be the most unusual part of the garden ensemble with large multi-colored stalls made up of vegetables and fruit trees.

In 9 squares with various geometric patterns, cabbage, carrots, beets, lettuce, tomatoes, pumpkins and other various plants are planted; vegetable plantations are interspersed with apple and pear trees, the branches of which form trellises of alleys, standard roses and flower vases. The beds of strict geometric figures are framed by a neat boxwood border, which serves as a kind of green frame for "vegetable still lifes", which are edible and decorative at the same time.

At the intersection of the alleys of this garden, around the central square, 4 small symmetrical platforms are organized, each of which has a fountain in the center and a frame of 4 arbors in the corners. Fountains originally intended for irrigation constitute an additional element of decoration of this green landscape.

Villandry Castle
I won’t talk about the castle in detail. I can only say that in all historically preserved interiors there are bouquets of flowers, and in the kitchen a composition of vegetables is presented. Of course, everything is grown in the castle garden. So the garden penetrates the castle. And of course the views from the windows to the garden continue and enrich the interiors. A stunning sight opens from the top observation deck, located on the most ancient tower of the castle.

Garden Maintenance
A team of 10 gardeners (not counting their assistants) is constantly working on the lands of Villandry, as this true work of art needs constant attention. 1260 lindens, 52 km of hedges, 900 fruit trees were planted in the gardens, and all of them need constant care and cutting. They are supplemented by annual 200 thousand flowers and vegetable plantings for two flowering seasons - spring and summer. The area of \u200b\u200bthe "flowering garden" is 12,500 sq.m. Careful development of planting plans is based not only on the aesthetic harmony of form and color, but also on the horticultural 3-year crop rotation system (in one place annual plants change annually). Villandry Gardens require strict organization and professionalism - this is a payment for beauty.

In the farm building adjacent to the garden garden, ripe vegetables and fruits are stacked, visitors treat them, leaving a fee for gardeners at their discretion. The fruits and vegetables of this garden are environmentally friendly (which is constantly emphasized by the guide) and very juicy and tasty.

In a separate building at the entrance there are shops, where you can buy not only souvenirs and books, but also seeds, seedlings and decorative elements of the garden.

It is worth looking and solving this “museum of gardens” to understand the significance that the gardens in front of the castle walls had, continuing the interiors and stretching into the fields and forests. It was also worth writing this article, now I know that I haven’t considered everything and, if I manage to visit these gardens again, I’ll draw my route through the gardens in a completely different way.

References:
1. Simon D`Yuart, Martin Tissier de Mulleray, Jean Saint-Brie, Henri de Linares, Daniel Oster, Monique Jacob, Francois Bonno, Maurizio Martinelli, Gianni Dali Orty "Castles of the Loire"
2. "Castles of the Loire" Publishing House Valloire-Estelle with the participation of P. Viard and R. Nicot
3. Villandry. Connaissance des arts.
4. Villandry. Tour of the gardens

Text and photo: S. Tatyana ()
12.2005

Like half a year ago, I showed you a lot. I remind you something spectacular, look for the rest here.

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 state 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 sixteenth century, the owner of the castle was Jean le Breton, Minister of Finance under King Francis I. In addition to his main activities in the field of finance and trade, he possessed considerable 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 resourceful, but he did not suffer the shameful fate of the owners of the castles Azeuil-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.

Cost of visit:

• Adults: castle and gardens - € 9.5; gardens - € 6.5;
• Adults with audio guide: castle and gardens - € 12.5; gardens - € 9.5;
• Short version: castle and gardens - € 5.5; gardens - € 4
• An abridged version with an audio guide: castle and gardens - € 8.5; gardens - € 7
• Min group 15 people: castle and gardens - € 7; gardens - € 4,5
• Min group 15 people with an audio guide: castle and gardens - € 10; gardens - € 7.5

Gardens open every day, all year, from 9:00 to 18:00.

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

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 studied 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 general 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.

Villandry Castle (Le château de Villandry), considered the last of the great castles of the Loire Valley, was built in the style of the Renaissance and Louis XIV 15 km west of Tours. Since 1934, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Journey to History

One of the most beautiful aristocratic estates of the Loire Valley, Villandry Castle was built in the first half of the 16th century. for Secretary Francis I J. le Breton, whose responsibilities included overseeing the construction of the Chambord and Fonteblo castles. For several years, he was also an ambassador to Rome, where he also studied gardening.

Upon his return to France, he began the construction of his new residence in the style of the early Renaissance on the site of the former 12th-century fortress, the existence of which is now reminiscent of only the basements of new buildings and the donjon in the southwestern part of the castle. Until the middle of the XVIII century. Villandry's castle remained the property of his heirs.

In 1754, the Marquis M-A became the owner of the castle of Villandry. de Castellan. He ordered to change its facade in accordance with the fashion trends of his time in architecture. In the middle of the XVIII century. the castle was decorated with arches and balconies with elegant decor, but it lost the colonnades on the ground floor.

During the reign of Napoleon I, the full owner of the castle becomes his brother Jerome, who paid great attention to the design of his interiors in the Empire style. After the collapse of the first empire, Villandry Castle becomes home to the Engerlo family.

In 1906, the castle was acquired by a doctor of medicine and amateur art critic H. Carvalho. The restoration of the castle and especially its gardens became for him the work of a lifetime. During the restoration work, the arcades and the decor of the windows of the main building were rebuilt, but its southern facade and interiors were left in the same form as under the Marquis de Castellane. At the beginning of the XXI century. the castle is still privately owned by A. Carvalho, but is available for free access.

Architectural planning composition

The facade of Villandry Castle is built a little asymmetrically, which is noticeable in the rows of windows and the direction of both of its wings, forming the shape of the letter U. They are typical examples of the architectural school of the Renaissance. In the design of their facades decorative elements are used that are usual for the architecture of the XVI century. Among them are large windows framed by pilasters with capitals, friezes and dormers with tympans and volutes. The castle courtyard is framed on two sides by two arcades.

From the interior of the castle of Villandry, a number of living rooms, a grand staircase, a dining room, an art gallery, four living rooms and a dining room are accessible for tourists to visit. The most interesting of them include the rooms of Brother Napoleon I Prince Jerome with interiors in red colors, a dining room with a fireplace in the form of a palm trunk, a living room with a mosaic wooden Arabic ceiling of 3600 elements and a castle kitchen.

Villandry Gardens

Gardens located near Villandry Castle are located on different levels of three terraces. When planning, hired in the XVI. J. de Breton gardeners were guided by Italian examples of landscape gardening art.

At the first, lower, level of Villandry Park is the castle garden. On its 9 square beds, vegetables are grown, selected according to the color compatibility of the foliage. They are separated by fruit tree planting and fountains originally intended for irrigation.

On the second level is a Garden Decoration, consisting of three parts. The closest to the castle is the Garden of Love and the Garden of the Crosses. The Garden of Love consists of 4 partners, each of which symbolizes one of the forms of exalted feeling: tragic, crafty, tender and passionate love.

Their meaning is conveyed by the shape of flower beds and the coloring of flowers. Shapes in the shape of fragments of the heart symbolize a passionate feeling, while geometric shapes with sharp corners resemble daggers and speak of tragic love. In the center of the parterre of tender love are masks and flower beds in the shape of hearts with pastel colors. The square of the garden of crafty love contains a combination of flower beds in the form of fans, between which figures resembling horns are placed.

Behind the alleys of the Garden of Love begins the territory of the Garden of the Crosses. The plants planted here form figures in the form of Basque, Languedoc and Maltese crosses. Between them lilies are planted, symbolizing royal power and the Virgin Mary.

The music garden is perpendicular to the first two gardens beyond the canal. Its stalls unites flower beds of complex shape, designating a lyre and a harp. The geometric patterns around them resemble candelabra and music stands with notes.

At the top of the hillside is the Water Garden with a large pool, the shape of which resembles an old mirror. It was created by H. Carvalho at the beginning of the XX century. The central reservoir is surrounded by 4 fountains, lawns and a hedge of boxwood. Next to it is the Garden of the Sun, founded in 2008. In the center of its square territory there is a fountain in the shape of an octagonal star, to each ray of which there is an alley framed by flower beds.

How to get there

Ticket price

• Adult: 11 €
• Reduced: 7 €