Villandry Castle is a unique luxury and the only three-level garden in the world. Villandry Gardens Villandry Castle - interior luxury

22.07.2020

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

In the 16th century, Jean le Breton, the personal secretary of Francis I, settled here, overseeing the construction of the Chambord and Fontainebleau residences.

Feeling all his importance, Le Breton decided to make himself more comfortable, for which he demolished all the ancient buildings except the central donjon and erected a luxurious Renaissance castle in the shape of a horseshoe in their place.

The courtyard of the new castle, surrounded on both sides by a gallery of arcades, faces the Loire, and both of 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 landscaping from paintings by Italian Renaissance artists

As a result, having taken on the task of creating 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 running 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 has arranged a decorative vegetable garden, in the colorful flower beds of which vegetables such as pumpkin, cabbage, carrots and beets, and fruit trees, among which apple and pear trees predominate, are crowded together.

From here there is 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 shape of eight-pointed stars, originally used for watering plants and trees.

One of the terraces opens onto 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 framing.

Villandry's "Gardens of Love" are 4 regular squares: the northwestern one is planted in the shape of hearts struck by arrows and personifies passionate love; in the northeastern square, plants of yellow shades are planted, which is supposed to depict infidelity; the southwestern sector consists of hearts separated by flames, symbolizing tender feelings; the southeastern square is planted with sword points and blood-red flowers, personifying tragic love. The picture is completed by three large diamond-shaped masses on the edge of the terrace, depicting the Languedoc, Maltese and Basque crosses

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

The Chateau of Villandry remained in the ownership of the Le Breton family for more than two centuries, until 1754, when it came into the possession of the royal ambassador, the Marquis de Castellane, who decided to “keep up with the times” and furnished the interiors in the latest fashion of the 18th century. As a result, the beautiful colonnades on the ground floor were replaced by featureless walls of kitchens and corridors, and the graceful Renaissance windows were “diversified” with arches and balconies

This is how the castle would have survived to this day if not for the initiative of Dr. Joaquim Carvalho, who decided to return the unique Renaissance appearance of Villandry.

In 1906, Villandry was bought by a Spaniard, Dr. Joachim Carvallo, a prominent scientist (ancestor of the current owner). He left his scientific career, which he shared with Professor Charles Richet (Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1913), and devoted himself entirely to the restoration of the Villandry castle. The Doctor actually saved the castle, which was on the verge of destruction, and recreated the gardens, designed in the style of the Renaissance, which were created under Jean Le Breton. Joachim Carvallo was also the founder in 1924 " Historic House", the first association that united the owners of historical castles, and the initiator of the opening of these architectural monuments to the general public.

Thanks to Carvalho, restoration of the castle began in 1906, during which the windows were returned to their original appearance, the colonnades of the first floor were restored and the luxurious gardens were replanted. Only the interiors and the southern façade that he remodeled now remind us of the whims of the Marquis de Castellane.

Let's walk a little through the castle interiors. By the way, in most rooms you can find chairs and armchairs of the 18th century, upholstered in silk from the famous factory in Tours, which is still producing this fabric

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

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

The large limestone staircase was built by the Marquis de Castellana in the courtyard, on the site of the old octagonal staircase. On the iron railings you can see the initials of the Marquis

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

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

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

At the corners of the Villandry residence there are four living rooms, each of which had 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 today adorn the exhibitions of prestigious international museums

It took a full year to reassemble this ceiling from 3,600 individual pieces. Built in the Mudejar style by Moorish craftsmen for their Spanish patrons, this ceiling combines decorative elements from both Christian and Moorish art: Franciscan cords, shells, flowers and royal coats of arms are mixed with intricate 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 look at the Villandry garden from a bird's eye view. In addition, it offers a beautiful view of the valley through 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 of the Italian Renaissance. Construction of the castle, partially surrounded by a moat, was completed in 1536. Thus, this castle is considered the last of the Renaissance palaces built on the Loire.

A large paved U-shaped courtyard, formed by outbuildings, is open towards the valley. The main wing and two perpendicular side wings with open lower arcades follow classical principles of symmetry, but their structure is influenced by the foundations of the old castle: the side wings are of different lengths and are not exactly parallel.

The gardens of Villandry combine 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 trimmed greenery. More than a thousand linden trees are planted in the gardens of Villandry, and the total length of hedges is 52 km.

The territory of the Villandry estate is located in a small valley through which a stream flows. The valley has a sloped topography, which led to the creation of gardens on several levels.

The symbolic garden is an extension of the castle's living rooms. In order to examine it in its entirety and understand all the true beauty and encrypted meaning, you need to climb to a hill. The four squares closest to the building are made of bushes, trimmed in the form of figures-allegories of love. Love is shown here in four different forms:

Tender love is symbolized by hearts separated by flames and masks worn at balls;

- passionate love formed by hearts pierced by arrows. Boxwood tracts are intertwined with each other and represent a labyrinth, which is associated with dance and tangled webs of destinies;

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

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

Above the symbolic garden is a garden located around a large mirror pond and surrounded by a green wall. There are also four small fountains, surrounded by boxwoods trimmed into balls in square containers. This perfect place to rest, relax and dream. Nearby is a labyrinth of trimmed green walls. Above is a fenced rectangular area where domestic animals graze.

On the lower level there is a vegetable garden with an area of 12.5 thousand sq.m. Cabbage, carrots, beets, beans, lettuce and other vegetables are planted in ornamental beds. The beds are interspersed with apple and pear trees formed like trellises. There are information signs in front of the plants explaining their symbolic meanings: pumpkin - fertility, cabbage - promiscuity, etc. In addition, they inform about medicinal properties everyone. Fountains, originally intended for irrigation, constitute an additional element of decoration of this garden. Around the fountains there are four benches under semicircular pergolas, entwined with fragrant roses. This 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 a perspective of the village with the bell tower of the Romanesque church and views of the Loire and Cher valleys. You can also enjoy the breathtaking view from two balconies with balustrades specially built on the wooded slope.

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

About 20 kilometers southwest of Tours is the castle of Villandry, considered one of the jewels of Touraine. Once there was a vast Roman estate “Villa Andriaca”, hence the name of the territory. Villandry Castle, completed in its final form around 1536, is the last of the great castles to be built on the banks of the Loire during the Renaissance.

In 1000, for unknown reasons, the area was christened Colombier (French for “dovecote”), however, not forever - in 1639 the historical name would return. But in the chronicle of the difficult relationship between France and England, the local fortress will appear precisely under the “bird” name: on July 4, 1189, a few days before his death, Henry II Plantagenet signed the so-called “Pigeon Peace” (Paix de Colombiers) here. This humiliating agreement with Philip Augustus marked the victory of the Capetians over their English vassals and the transfer to their disposal of many territories, including Touraine. A hint of birds remains in the way they are still called local residents: Colombiens.

According to his demands, Henry II had to give up most of his possessions in France in favor of Philip. By that time, the health of the ruler of England was greatly 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, during the negotiations, he saw his son, the then Count of Poitou (and the future King Richard the Lionheart), taking the side of his worst enemy, the King of France, in his struggle against his father. Filled with anger, King Henry II vowed cruel revenge on Richard, but died 3 days later, cursing his own traitor son.

At the beginning of the 16th century, Jean le Breton, Minister of Finance under King Francis I, became the owner of the castle. In addition to his main activity in the field of finance and trade, he had significant architectural knowledge. For several years he was the head of the construction work of the Chateau de Chambord. As the French ambassador to Italy, he was interested in architectural innovations and landscape design.

Initially, the village and estate bore the common name "Colombiers" ("Pigeon Roosts"). Jean le Breton considered this name too general, and since he was in good standing at the king's court, he was allowed to change not only the name of the village and castle, but also his own titular pronunciation. So Jean le Breton soon began to be called “Monsignor de Villandry”.

In turn, the castle had to emphasize the important social position of its owner, so Jean le Breton and his family, without hesitation, invested significant financial resources to improve 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 of Azay-le-Rideau and Chenonceau, who lost their property. In 1619, his grandson Balthasar was even granted the noble title of “Marquise de Villandry”.

The descendants of Jean le Breton maintained Villandry until 1754, when the castle became the property of the Marquis de Castellane, a royal ambassador and a member of a very famous family of Provençal nobility. On his orders, extensions were made in the classical style on both sides of the front yard. He also remodeled the interior of the castle, adapting it to the comfort standards of the 18th century: he decorated the windows, added balconies, and blocked part of the courtyard with a wall to accommodate the kitchen.

Villandry retained this view until 1906. The castle itself consists of three horseshoe-shaped buildings facing the river. Cross-shaped window frames, attics, and steep roof slopes form a rare harmonious complex. Not everything was preserved - so the round turrets with pointed conical roofs did not reach us. The monumental architecture of the castle was influenced by a simpler style, which was later called the style of Henry IV

In the 19th century, the traditional garden was destroyed in order to create a park around the castle in the English style (in the style of Parc Monceau 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 Historical Monuments. He gives up a brilliant scientific career under the guidance of Professor Charles Richet (Nobel Prize in Medicine 1913) to devote his life exclusively to Villandry. He saves the castle from destruction and recreates the gardens based on those of the 16th century. Having found the original design created by Androis du Cerceau, Carvallo recreated the structure of the park, laid out straight paths along which there are lawns with flowers, planted lime alleys, hedges skillfully trimmed by gardeners, and 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 complete harmony with the architecture of the castle, designed in the Renaissance style, gardens that we can enjoy to this day.

Joachim Carvallo was also the founder in 1924 of the "Historical House", the first association that brought together the owners of historical castles. He was the first who decided 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 completely open from the outside. With this configuration, the castle completely lost its protective functions and became a cozy mansion, offering magnificent views of the Cher River from its windows. Jean le Breton decided to keep main tower old fortress, thereby emphasizing the castle’s belonging to feudal times, organically fitting it into the complex of Renaissance buildings. The tower's spiral staircase was redone to fully convey the flavor of the 12th century. Unlike Versailles, built a century later, the apparent strict geometry of Villandry is in fact 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 prominent representative of the late French Renaissance and the last of the castles on the Loire coast built during this period. There are no hints of Italy or 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 to prevent the ensemble as a whole from creating a feeling of monotony, the windows of the main residential building are not aligned exactly along its middle part, and the wings of the building are slightly different in length and located at different angles. On the lower floor there is a dining room and kitchen, and here you can see a model of the castle. Above are several rooms open to the public and a gallery displaying works of art by Spanish realists. From the third floor you can go into the ancient donjon and admire beautiful view to 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 and likeness of gardens of the 16th and 18th centuries.

The gardens are located on three levels. On the upper terrace there is the Water Garden and the Sun Garden, on the middle terrace there is an ornamental decorative garden, a Renaissance-style labyrinth and an apothecary garden. At the lowest level there is a picturesque vegetable garden.

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

The topmost one in the southern part of the castle is the Sun Garden. The work on its creation was completed by the current owner of the castle, Henri Carvalho, in the spring of 2008 for the 100th anniversary of the start of the reconstruction of the gardens by his great-grandfather Joaquin Carvalho. The Sun Garden consists of three parts. The “room of clouds” is formed by shrubs and plants with blue and white flowers. The star-shaped fountain is surrounded by a “sun room” designed in yellow and orange tones. And the last “room” is the “children’s” - a playground for kids among the apple trees.

Part of the ornamental decorative garden, which is like a continuation of the castle’s living rooms, is called the Gardens of Love. Skillfully trimmed bushes and flowers in four squares represent different forms of this feeling: Fleeting, Passionate, Tender and Tragic love. On 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 there is the second part of the decorative garden - the “musical” salon, where the shape of the trimmed bushes resembles some stringed instruments (lyre, harp), musical notes, and candelabra for lighting the score.

Nine squares of the same size with different geometric patterns on the lower level are a vegetable garden created according to the ideas of the famous Androuet du Cersault.

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

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

The building has been restored to its 18th-century furnishings. The castle tower offers views of the Loire and Cher valleys. Going up to the roof is a must to be able to take in all of Villandry's gardens.

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

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

One of the most amazing attractions of the castle is the Arabian ceiling. It was brought from the Palace of the Princes de Maqueda, 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 three ceilings from this palace are preserved in major international museums. Well, the fourth was brought by Joachim Carvallo to Villandry Castle in the form of 3600 parts. It took a year to put this puzzle back together. This Spanish-Moorish Mudejar ceiling was created by Moorish craftsmen for Spanish owners and is a blend of decoratively significant elements from Christian and Moorish art. Franciscan twine, St. Jacques shells from Compostela, floral designs and sovereign heraldry are combined with stucco, gilding and Arabic script.

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

The main thing worth going to Villandry for is, undoubtedly, its gardens. They are planted with 1,150 linden trees, and the total length of the hedges is approximately 52 km. Every year, 250 thousand seedlings of flowers and vegetables are transplanted into the gardens. Weeding is done entirely by hand so as not to damage the very fragile roots of the boxwood. The flowers are planted in such a way that each variety blooms in its own season, replacing the others.

Le Breton, who carried out the mission of Francis I's ambassador to 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 role as an accompaniment to them. These Italian gardens were characterized by strict geometric lines and a pronounced architectural design. Based on the Italian model, French gardens occupy, however, large areas, make fortress walls unnecessary and seem to reduce the external volumes of buildings. Their wide alleys are bordered by flowering parterres, the contours of which are emphasized by hedges of trimmed bushes. Villandry Gardens perfectly meet these requirements.

The gardens are laid out on three levels. The topmost - first level - is Water Garden (Jardin d'eau). Inspired by classicism, it is placed around a large expanse of water created in the shape of a Louis XV mirror. The Mirror is a pond with rare aquatic plants. Water is taken from the pond both for irrigation and for the functioning of the fountains. The water garden is an ideal place for leisurely reflection in hot weather.

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

Designing Garden of Love, the creator of the park wanted the hedges to represent types of love. According to the author, there are four of them.’

Tender love- hearts separated at the corners by the lights of the love flame. In the center are masks that were worn over the eyes during balls and made it possible to conduct any conversation, from the most serious to the most frank.

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

passionate love- hearts, but this time broken by passion. The boxwood arrays are tangled and form a labyrinth, and 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 the blood spilled in the struggle.

Second garden - Garden of Music- symbolizes various musical instruments in the orchestra. Large triangles represent lyres, next to which appear harps. Between the lyres there are candlesticks to illuminate the musical score.

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

And finally, the third level - Vegetable garden (Potager), 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 whose colors combine (the blue of leeks, the red of cabbage and beets, the jade green of carrot tops) to create the appearance of a multi-colored checkerboard. Vegetable plantings are interspersed with apple and pear trees, the branches of which form trellises of the alleys.

Fountains, originally intended for irrigation, form an additional element of decoration of this green landscape. There are information signs in front of the plants explaining their symbolic meanings: cabbage - promiscuity, pumpkin - fertility, etc. In addition, they inform about the medicinal properties of each plant.

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

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

Each year there are two plantings: one in the spring, remaining from March to June, the second in the summer, remaining from June to October. Approximately 40 types of vegetables belonging to eight botanical families are used each year. There are no potatoes here, which are an anachronism for a 16th-century garden. The arrangement of vegetables changes with each planting, subject, on the one hand, to the need for a harmonious combination of color and shape and, on the other hand, to horticultural requirements, in accordance with which a 3-year rotation of plantings is necessary so as not to deplete the soil. Irrigation is carried out by a dug-in automatic watering system.

Beyond the vegetable garden there is a view of the 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 parterres made up of vegetables and fruit trees. This layout dates back to ancient times. In the 16th century the first ones were created botanical gardens, in which rare plants originating from the countries of America, unknown until then, were grown. The plants were placed in ornamental gardens, where their development and acclimatization were monitored. The Villandry garden adheres to this old tradition.

Don’t forget about the traditional French roses. There are a lot of them, they are colorful and very beautiful. And it is impossible to convey in words the smell in the air, it is something divine. I want to inhale the aroma in the air deeply. Stand and breathe. 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 gardening school in Villandry, which still exists today.

Tip: don't forget to bring bread with you. In the remains of a moat that once surrounded the castle, very voracious fish swim!

Inside the castle you can see the dining room, staircase and art gallery. Of course, no tourist remains indifferent when visiting the gardens. If desired, you can organize an exhibition or conference or seminar in the castle by booking a place in advance.

There are different ways to get to Villandry Castle. From Paris by car take the A10 to Saumur and from there take the A85 to Villandry. By train from Montparnasse station to Tours, and from there by taxi.
From Nantes by car take the A11 road and then the A85 highway. By train to Tours or Saint-Pierre-de-Coras, then by taxi.
From Tours, in addition to taxis, in July and August there are also services to Villandry. public transport. It is also recommended to use a bicycle 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 (Loire castles)

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

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

In the 16th century, Jean le Breton, the personal secretary of Francis I, settled here, overseeing the construction of the residences of Chambord and Fontainebleau.

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

The courtyard of the new castle, surrounded on both sides by a gallery of arcades, faces the Loire, and both of 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 landscaping from the paintings of Italian Renaissance artists.

As a result, having taken on the task of creating 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 resembles a water mirror, the royal secretary laid out an orchard with cozy paths running 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 has arranged a decorative vegetable garden, the colorful flowerbeds of which are crowded with vegetables such as pumpkin, cabbage, carrots and beets, and fruit trees, among which apple and pear trees predominate.

From here you have 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 shape of eight-pointed stars, originally used for watering plants and trees.

One of the terraces opens onto 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 framing.

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

This is how the castle would have survived to this day if not for the initiative of Dr. Joaquim Carvalho, who decided to return the unique Renaissance appearance of Villandry. Thanks to Carvalho, restoration of the castle began in 1906, during which the windows were returned to their original appearance, the colonnades of the first floor were restored and the luxurious gardens were replanted. Only the interiors and the southern façade that he remodeled now remind us of the whims of the Marquis de Castellane.

Let's walk a little through the castle interiors. By the way, in most rooms you can find chairs and armchairs like these from the 18th century, upholstered in silk from the famous factory in Tours, which is still producing this fabric.

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

This bright room once belonged to Napoleon's younger brother, Prince Jerome, who owned Villandry Castle for several years during the Empire period. Accordingly, the design and furnishings of this room are in the imperial style, with mahogany furniture, red silk curtains and draperies, and military insignia and spears on the walls.

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

At the corners of the Villandry residence there are four living rooms, each of which had a unique dome. The ceiling of the eastern drawing 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 today adorn the exhibitions of prestigious international museums.

Villandry Castle (Le château de Villandry), considered the last of the great castles of the Loire Valley, was built in the Renaissance and Louis XIV style, 15 km west of Tours. Included in the list since 1934 world heritage UNESCO.

Journey into history

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

Upon returning to France, he began construction of his new residence in the early Renaissance style on the site of the former 12th-century fortress, the existence of which is now only reminiscent of the basements of new buildings and the donjon in the southwestern part of the castle. Until the middle of the 18th century. Villandry Castle remained the property of his heirs.

In 1754, the Marquis MA became the owner of Villandry Castle. de Castellane. He ordered its facade to be changed in accordance with the fashionable trends in architecture of his time. In the middle of the 18th century. The castle was decorated with arches and balconies with elegant decoration, but it lost the colonnades on the ground floor.

During the reign of Napoleon I, his brother Jerome became the full owner of the castle, who paid great attention to the design of its 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 purchased by medical doctor and amateur art critic J. Carvalho. Restoring the castle and especially its gardens became his life's work. During the restoration work, the arcades and window decorations 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 21st century. The castle is still privately owned by A. Carvalho, but is open to the public.

Architectural and planning composition

The facade of Villandry Castle is built slightly asymmetrically, which is noticeable in the rows of windows and the direction of both its wings, forming the shape of the letter U. They are typical examples of the architectural school of the Renaissance period. The design of their facades uses decorative elements common to 16th-century architecture. These include large windows framed by pilasters with capitals, friezes and dormers with tympanums and volutes. The castle courtyard is framed on both sides by two arcades.

From interior spaces Villandry Castle has a number of living rooms available for tourists to visit, main staircase, dining room, art gallery, four living rooms and a dining room. The most interesting of them include the chambers of Napoleon I's brother Prince Jerome with interiors in red tones, a dining room with a fireplace in the shape of a palm tree, a living room with a mosaic wooden Arabic ceiling made of 3600 elements and the kitchen of the castle.

Villandry Gardens

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

On the first, lower level of Villandry Park there is the castle's vegetable garden. On its 9 square beds, vegetables are grown, selected according to the compatibility of foliage colors. They are separated by plantings of fruit trees and fountains, originally intended for irrigation.

On the second level there is a Garden-Decoration, consisting of three parts. Closest to the castle are the Garden of Love and the Garden of Crosses. The Garden of Love consists of 4 parterres, each of which symbolizes one of the forms of sublime feeling: tragic, crafty, tender and passionate love.

Their meaning is conveyed by the shape of flower beds and the color of flowers. Figures in the shape of heart fragments symbolize a passionate feeling, while geometric ones with sharp corners resemble daggers and speak of tragic love. In the center of the parterre of tender love there are masks and flower beds in the shape of hearts with pastel colored flowers. The square of the garden of crafty love contains a combination of fan-shaped flower beds, between which are placed figures resembling horns.

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

The Music Garden is located perpendicular to the first two gardens behind the canal. His parterre unites flower beds of complex shapes, representing a lyre and a harp. The geometric patterns around them resemble candelabra and music stands.

At the top level of the hillside is the Water Garden with a large pool shaped like an antique mirror. It was created according to the design of H. Carvalho at the beginning of the 20th century. The central reservoir is surrounded by 4 fountains, lawns and a boxwood hedge. 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 an alley framed by flower beds leads.

How to get there

Address: 3 Rue Principale, Villandry
Telephone: +33 2 47 50 02 09
Website: www.chateauvillandry.fr
Working hours: 9:00-18:00

Ticket price

Adult: 11 €
Reduced: 7 €

Updated: 09/13/2017

The graceful Renaissance castle of Villandry rises near the Loire, not far from the building that stood here in ancient times. On July 4, 1189, when Villandry was a fortified fortress, a meeting took place here between Philip Augustus, King of France, and 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 at Azay-le-Rideau in favor of Philip Augustus.

Several centuries later, ownership passed to Jean Le Breton, Secretary of State of Francis I, who was entrusted with supervising 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 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, U-shaped in relation to the front courtyard overlooking the Loire. The two large wings are typically Renaissance, built on 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 the classical order, and decorated with friezes and large lucarnes with volutes and tympanums.

The wide facades are given a slight 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 carried out the mission of Francis I's ambassador to Italy, had the opportunity 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 role as an accompaniment to them. These Italian gardens were characterized by strict geometric lines and a pronounced architectural design. Based on the Italian model, French gardens, however, occupy large areas, make fortress walls unnecessary and seem to reduce the external volumes of buildings. Their wide alleys are bordered by flowering parterres, the contours of which are emphasized by hedges of trimmed bushes.

The decorative garden of the middle terrace, with its exquisite forms, resembles the “gardens of love”. And indeed, four large squares are decorated with bushes, 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 northeastern one represents fans, horns, love notes - symbols of love-adultery, and is dominated by yellow flowers. In the southwest - love-tenderness with hearts separated by flames and masks worn at balls; the last, southeastern, massif represents tragic love with the blades of swords and the red color of the blood of duels.

At the southern end of the garden there are three large diamond-shaped arrays, depicting the Cross of Languedoc, the Cross of Malta and the Cross of the Basque Country. On the other side of the ditch, there is a vegetable 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 parterres made up of vegetables and fruit trees. This layout dates back to ancient times. In the 16th century, the first botanical gardens were created, in which rare plants originating from the countries of America, unknown until then, were grown. The plants were placed in ornamental gardens, where their development and acclimatization were monitored.

Villandry. Castles of France The Villandry 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 Andruet Ducerceau. Cabbage, carrots, beets, and lettuce are planted in squares; vegetable plantings are interspersed with apple and pear trees, the branches of which form the trellises of the alleys. Fountains, originally intended for irrigation, form an additional element of decoration of this green landscape.

In 1574, the castle belonged to the Marquis de Castellane, who reconstructed it in the spirit of his era: the windows received arched frames, balconies were added, and on the lower floor the colonnade of the courtyard was closed with a wall in order to accommodate kitchens and new corridors. Office premises located on the north side of the castle, protect the gardens from cold winds. The castle retained this 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, which united the owners of historical monuments, which made it possible to open many castles and palaces to the general public.

Square beds are planted with vegetables whose colors match each other. It gives the impression of a multi-colored chessboard:

Between the squares there are gazebos with fountains:

The vegetable garden is located in a hollow. On top it is framed by galleries with grapevines:

On the second tier there is an ornamental garden:

A little higher there is a maze of bushes:

There is an observation tower in the middle, from where all the passages are visible:

To prevent players from cheating, some bushes have a net installed:

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

There are 5000 trees in the garden:

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

Based on materials from sites: sergeydolya.livejournal.com, francetour.ru

About the castle

Any trip to France necessarily includes a visit to Paris. But if the tour is not limited to Paris alone, then the famous castles of the Loire are almost always visited. The castles are famous for the fact that they were built mainly during the Renaissance, and were the residences of French kings and their closest relatives. Villandry Castle (Chateau de Villandry) is one of these buildings, built not so much for military purposes, but for a beautiful, majestic and comfortable (at the level of those centuries) life.

The castle is located near the Loire. Near the Castle of Villandry since ancient times there were even more ancient building, which served as a fortress. Here, in 1189, a historic meeting took place between Philip Augustus, King of France, and Henry II Plantagenet, King of England, at which the two monarchs signed a peace treaty. Several centuries later, the fortress became the property of Jean Le Breton, who, on behalf of King Francis I, built the castles of Fontainebleau and Chambord. Breton decided to build a castle for himself. This is how Villandry Castle appeared.

Architecture

Villandry Castle has an elegant and festive appearance, because it was not built for war. From the old fortress, only the donjon remained, near which a new U-shaped building was built, the front courtyard of which overlooked the Loire. Both wings of the building were built in the Renaissance style, in which all palaces were built at the beginning of the 16th century. The facade looks out at the world with large windows with pilasters and capitals, decorated with an elegant frieze and other stucco and carved decorations, and the facade windows are designed in such a way that they introduce some element of asymmetry into the wings of the palace. On the sides of the courtyard there are arched galleries.

The next owner of the castle, the Marquis de Castellan, introduced additional decorations into the architecture of the castle: arched windows, added balconies, closed the colonnade of the first floor and installed kitchens and utility rooms there. Subsequently, the castle was returned to its original forms as far as possible. The interiors have been preserved mainly from the 18th century.

The castle is partially surrounded by a moat. However, the main attraction is not the moat, but the incomparable three-level garden. Le Breton, who designed the castle, saw many Italian gardens created by famous Renaissance masters. Italian gardens formed a single ensemble with the buildings, serving as an organic backdrop for the palaces. Italian gardens are characterized by strict geometric shapes and wide alleys lined with trimmed bushes. French gardens differ from Italian ones in larger sizes, so that the buildings against their background look smaller than they actually are. With such large gardens, fences become unnecessary.

At the highest level of the Villandry garden there are fruit trees and a wonderful pond that supplies water to the palace itself and the fountains on the lower levels. This site borders on a magnificent timber forest. The paths under the trees are barely noticeable. The middle terrace is on the same level as the halls of the first floor; it is a decorative garden. And on the lower level there is a vegetable garden.

An ornamental garden is a garden of love. It is divided into four squares, in which the bushes are planted in the shape of allegorical figures of love. In the northwest there is a heart pierced by an arrow, denoting love-passion. In the northeast square, bushes with yellow flowers represent horns, fans and love notes, which symbolize adulterous love. The southwest is dedicated to tender love: hearts separated by flames and masquerade masks. In the southeast, love is tragic with red flowers of blood and sword blades. The southernmost part of the garden contains images of the Cross of Languedoc, the Cross of Malta and the Cross of the Basque Country.

The Garden of Love is separated from the vegetable garden by a moat, and then there is a lovely view of the village with a church bell tower. The vegetable garden is so skillfully planned that vegetables and fruit trees form large colorful parterres. An additional decoration for the garden is fountains.

Story

The castle was built for himself by the secretary of state of King Francis I of France, Jean le Breton, in the 16th century. Somewhat later it underwent a slight reconstruction, but basically the palace has reached us in its original form thanks to the next owner of the castle, Doctor Carvalho. On his initiative, an association of owners of historical monuments was created in 1906, which subsequently allowed the castles to be opened to the public. Dr. Carvalho organized restoration work at the castle, returning the windows to their original appearance and renovating the gardens. Interior decoration The doctor did not change the lock.

For tourists

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
Short version with audio guide: castle and gardens - €8.5; gardens - €7
Group min. 15 people: castle and gardens - €7; gardens - €4.5
Group min. 15 people with audio guide: castle and gardens - €10; gardens - €7.5

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

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