Visiting Chateau de Villandry

Which Chateau has the best gardens in the Loire Valley?

The answer to this question is subjective, but in our opinion, the gardens at Chateau de Villandry were so impressive that they earned this title. The gardens of Chateau Villandry are renowned for their vastness and intricacy. They cover approximately 15 hectares (37 acres) and are meticulously planned gardens that are divided into several sections, each with its own unique design and purpose, ranging from ornamental flower beds to vegetable gardens, ornamental ponds, and landscaped pathways.

This was another chateau that we had read about in the book we have titled "France from the Air". The famous gardens and beautiful Renaissance building architecture that we had seen in that book made us excited about visiting Villandry. And for anyone looking for a single book with a great deal of interesting information (including a large number of images) about France, this would be the book to have.

Château de Villandry is located in the Loire Valley, France. Specifically, it is situated in the commune of Villandry, in the department of Indre-et-Loire in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. It is 266 kilometers southwest of Paris. It is 32 kilometers northeast of Chinon and only 17 kilometers southwest from Tours. Amboise to Villandry is about 60 kilometers. It was just a 32-minute drive from our Chinon base camp. We chose Chinon as our second base camp in our journey through the Loire Valley. See our Loire overview page for more information and places we visited in the Loire.

Like many of the Chateaus in the Loire Valley, Villandry started as a fortress in the 12th century. The original fortress was gradually transformed into a Renaissance-style chateau.

Jean Le Breton, a Finance Minister to King Francis I, acquired the property in 1532 and began construction of the chateau. Jean Le Breton ,who was involved in supervising the work on Chambord castle just a few years earlier, held several positions, the most important of which was being Secretary of the King’s Finances. He demolished most of the existing fortress and built a new Renaissance-style chateau in its place. The Château as it is today was completed in 1536. The primary architect associated with the design and construction of Château Villandry is Philibert de l'Orme who also designed Chateau d’Anet (commissioned by Diane de Poitiers), Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Palais des Tuileries in Paris and Château de Fontainebleau.

The Chateau, along with its gardens has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, acknowledging its historical significance. It is currently owned by the Carvallo family. They purchased it in the early 20th century and undertook significant restoration work on both the château and its gardens.

The castle's architectural beauty is characterized by its harmonious proportions and graceful lines, reflecting the Renaissance style. Large windows are a signature feature, allowing ample natural light to flood the chateau's interior spaces. This, combined with the use of light-colored stone, creates a sense of spaciousness and airiness, a stark contrast to the darker, more fortified châteaux of the region.

The Chateau Villandry website is full of detailed information about the history of the Chateau and how it changed over the years. If you are a history buff, check it out before your visit.

Visitors can tour the castle's many rooms and chambers, including the Grand Hall, the Royal Apartments, and the Chapel. The museum houses a collection of Renaissance furniture, tapestries, and paintings.

Château de Villandry is famous for its exquisite Renaissance gardens, seven hectares (17.25 acres) of gardens surrounding the château. The current gardens were designed in the formal French Renaissance style by Joachim Carvallo & his wife Ann Coleman during the time frame of 1908 and 1918. Carvallo utilized some of the original garden landscape plans after they purchased the Villandry Estate in 1906.

The precision and artistry of these gardens make them a must-visit for garden enthusiasts. The gardens are divided into distinct terraces, each with its own theme, including a water garden, a decorative vegetable garden, and a captivating maze. There are 85,000 plants in the gardens, half of which come from the family greenhouse. The gardens are maintained by 10 full-time gardeners, who replant everything twice a year. The gardeners utilize modern organic methods and avoid pesticides. In the Villandry's garden every detail, from the intricate & ornamental shapes of shrubs manicured to appear like animals. to the strategically placed water features, tells a story of innovation and respect for the natural world.

You can spend anywhere from an hour to several hours exploring the gardens. The website suggests 1.5 hours in the gardens and 1 hour in the Chateau itself. We spent more time in the gardens as this was our favorite part of Chateau de Villandry.

We’ve said it before but each chateau in the Loire Valley has its own unique features. No two were ever the same and they were endlessly fascinating to visit. Chateau de Villandry is on our list of Chateaus to visit again!

The following list contains links to all of our other French Destinations, click any blue colored link to go to that page.