Decorative vegetable gardens of the French castle of Villandry. Ancient castle of Villandry in France. Journey into history

“The garden of Villandry Castle is one of the most visited gardens. He gained worldwide fame thanks to his grandiose ornamental vegetable garden. The art of the kitchen garden has been around here for a long time.
A little history, or how the art of the kitchen garden arose.
...On July 4, 1189, the King of England, Henry II Plantagenet, came to the King of France, Philip Augustus, to admit his defeat. In the medieval fortress, the “Peace of Colombiere” is signed (that’s what Villandry was called back then).
...End of the 15th century. To the young king of France Charles VIII had to retreat in military company with Italy. The main “trophy” is the king’s introduction to the high art of the Renaissance. He writes with delight to the Duke of Bourbon: “My brother, you cannot imagine how beautiful gardens I saw in this city. Truly, it seems that only Adam and Eve are missing for this earthly paradise...” Having seen the Italian palaces and gardens, the king decides to have similar ones. This is how Italian art takes root in France, and with it the Renaissance park.

...IN medieval Europe the monastery gardens dominate. But French gardeners of the 16th century needed a special garden, in which there was a place for roses and strange vegetables brought from America. Thus, two trends were combined - the French monastery garden and the Italian one, and the garden itself was called the “ornamental vegetable garden”.
Villandry is one of the last Renaissance castles on the banks of the Loire. From old fortress From the 12th century, only the donjon and the foundation were left, on which the new castle was built in 1536 by the Minister of Finance of Francis I, Jean Le Breton. Previously he was ambassador to Rome, and in free time studied the art of gardens.
The descendants of J. Le Breton preserved Villandry until 1754. Then the new owner, the Marquis de Castelan, rebuilt both the castle and the courtyard.
...XIX century. The traditional castle garden was destroyed and an English park was created in its place. .
...The beginning of the 20th century - the castle and garden fell into disrepair and were subject to demolition.
Revival, or the embodied story of love for the garden.
...1906. Villandry was saved from death by Dr. Joachim Carvallo, a Spaniard by birth, a nobleman, and an educated man. He was fascinated by the picturesque nature of this place, the hills covered with forest and “embracing” an ancient castle and a marvelous garden. A connoisseur of history and architecture, Carvallo decides to revive this estate in the spirit of the Renaissance. He was so captivated by the idea that he abandoned his brilliant career and devoted his life exclusively to Villandry.

18 years of hard work and the castle is freed from the layers of reconstruction of the last three centuries. Now it looks like it did at the beginning of the 16th century, when the style of Henry IV reigned. The interior decoration reflects the taste of the owner: sophisticated Spanish furniture of the 18th century, a family collection of paintings of the 16th-18th centuries with paintings by Goya, Velazquez, Murillo. And also the amazing ceiling vaults from a Moorish mosque, bought by Carvallo. They were assembled from 3000 fragments...
But most of the work was invested in the revival of the garden, which inscribed its name in history. The bottom line is that the Renaissance gardens of France either fell into disrepair or were converted into baroque ones. Later, most of them were replaced by English landscape parks. This ruined the charm of French gardens. Therefore, creating a Renaissance garden was a valuable choice.
Scrupulous, dedicated work, knowledge of history, the search for missing sketches, drawings by Jeanne Andruet du Cersault (the best expert on castles and gardens of those times), and the result exceeds all expectations - Villandry becomes the best garden in France during the Renaissance.
A walk through the garden, or a journey into the past.
The garden is divided on three levels. You can look at it from above watchtower, or belvedere. The lower level is occupied by a castle surrounded by a deep moat filled with water. Crossing bridges connect the area for carriages, the lower courtyard with an outbuilding (court d'honneur) and the castle. There are many fish in the water. Well-fed and nimble, she exposes her greedy mouths and curious eyes to the surface, crowding each other.

The castle's living rooms on the south side flow into a garden called the "Garden of Love." This ornamental garden is full of symbols and images inherent in that era. The colorful parterre is divided into 4 squares. The first embodies “Tender Love” - the hearts are engulfed in the flames of love, in the center of the mask (they were worn to the ball, which made it possible to conduct any conversations). The pattern is woven from clipped boxwood and filled in the middle with red flowers. “Passionate love” - hearts struck by passion swirl in a whirlwind of dance. “Frivolous love” - four fans in the corners symbolize frivolity of feelings, between them there are horns of betrayal, and in the center of the letter are frivolous lovers. Everything is in yellow colors - symbols of betrayal. “Tragic Love” - the blades of the duelists’ daggers and swords. Red flowers represent shed blood.
Then the parterre continues with squares with lilies and crosses - symbols of the victory of life over death: the Maltese cross, the Languedoc cross, the cross of the Basque Country.
Nearby, on the bank of the canal, there is an alley-pergola, where through the bunches of poured grapes you can see the “Garden of Music”, another boxwood living room. Images of lyres, harps, and candelabra are drowned in bluish-lilac sage and lavender, and it seems as if a blue haze is rising above them. The vine alley and the canal form the central axis of the park, dividing the ornamental garden and the Renaissance vegetable garden - business card Villandry.
Kitchen garden, or vegetable chess.

Vegetable gardens date back to the Middle Ages. Monks of many orders were famous as excellent gardeners and gardeners. It was believed that such work, like no other, cleanses the human soul: after all, they were dealing with the earthly embodiment of the lost paradise.
In their abbeys, the monks planted vegetables in rectangular beds. Numerous crosses in the vegetable garden remind us of this ancient culture. The vegetable garden itself consists of nine square beds of the same size, but with different geometric patterns in the middle part. Each square is divided into four more parts. Vegetables and spices are like playing fairy chess. Bluish onions, green curls of parsley, carrots, red cabbage, purple basil and green lettuce leaves are combined in shape and color and draw a pattern of beds.
There are small fountains at the intersection of paths in the vegetable garden. In former times, they symbolized the inexhaustible source of faith in Jesus Christ, and also had a utilitarian meaning - for watering and washing. The fountains are surrounded by characteristic (hemispherical) medieval pavilions. They were thickly woven with roses. You sit down on a bench in the depths of the niche of the gazebo, and a wave of aroma covers you... The sun gently warms, the water of the fountain gurgles, the colorful carpet of the vegetable garden pleases the eye - real paradise. In the Middle Ages, plants were associated with allegorical connotations, which were of great importance. So red roses embodied the love of God, white roses - the sadness of the Virgin Mary, yellow - her glory. Therefore, gardens were also decorated with roses. Over time, the roses planted here began to symbolize a monk who digs up a garden bed.
Carvallo developed the plan for this part of the garden, taking into account the found fragments of images of the vegetable garden of Benedictine monasteries of the 16th century. The idea - creating strict geometric shapes only from trees, bushes, flowers and vegetables - was brilliantly implemented! The clear visual frame of the vegetable garden is formed from boxwood - 52 km long! Each bed is a masterpiece, framed by a frame - a flower border. It is complemented by a low hedge along which cordon apple trees are planted.

Next to the plants are signs with names and the history of their use. The volume and meticulousness of the work on the beds for almost a century is amazing. How much patience, soul and love is invested in them! After all, every year there are two plantings here: one in the spring (it remains in the beds from March to June), the second in the summer - from June to November. About 40 types of vegetables (except potatoes) are used every year. Their location changes with each planting so as not to deplete the soil, and corresponds to a three-year sequence. Strictly adhere to a harmonious combination of color and shape. All this is a huge amount of work, because 250,000 seedlings are planted here every year.
Thousands of linden trees, or ancient guardians of the family hearth, are in captivity.
On the territory of Villandry, the owner of the castle planted 1200 linden trees. They divide parts of the garden, surround it, or form alleys. The linden alley is amazing. You walk under its canopy and it’s as if you find yourself in another world. Penumbra, silence, mystery.
Why did Carvallo choose linden? Even in ancient times, oak was worshiped by men, and linden by women. IN Western Europe The linden tree is dedicated to the goddess Freya, the protector of the family hearth. It was considered a family tree; people gathered under it to resolve common affairs. She was planted near castles and in city squares. The linden tree was known as a talisman against lightning. Later it also became a symbol of rural society.

Parallel to the linden alley there is a garden of medicinal herbs. According to the canons of the Middle Ages, it is located between the vegetable garden and the church. More than 30 types of herbs, which have long been used in family medicine, are planted in the beds of the apothecary garden.
The walk route through the labyrinth takes us to the upper terrace to a children's playground and an English-style flower garden. This is the kingdom of luxurious, very tall herbs and flowers.
Behind the dense wall of linden trees there is a new contrast - a water garden. In the bowling green, on the green velvet of the lawn, lies a giant Louis XV mirror - an artificial reservoir, the water of which is connected to a canal. There is a ground area with small round ponds and paths around. Everything is surrounded by steep slopes with perfect lawn. You involuntarily stop, looking at this beauty. And then the thought flashes: the water mirror is built here so that the exquisite beauty of the garden can admire itself in it.
The heirs of Joachim Carvallo still live in the castle. They cherish and continue his work, which was the meaning of his whole life.”

We marked Villandry Castle, or rather its gardens, as another house for mandatory inspection; we chose the rest of the castles spontaneously right on the spot. There are currently about 300 castles preserved in the Loire Valley; in addition to castles, there are also troglodyte caves, abbeys, cities and ancient cathedrals. We allocated 2 days to the Loire Valley, but you can really spend two weeks there, there is something to see there.

In the morning we left Karnac and 3 hours later we were already in Villandry. On French highways, there are banners on the side of the highway telling you what attractions you are passing in that area, but it is not at all obvious where you need to exit the highway to reach the described attraction. The only chance is to rely on the navigator. The heat in July in the Loire Valley was stifling, not a breeze, not a cloud in the sky.

An adult ticket costs 9.5 euros - castle + gardens, 6.5 euros only gardens. Children and students are free. There is no Russian audio guide, but along with the ticket they give you a colorful brochure describing the gardens in Russian. Parking nearby is free. The souvenir shop sells flower seeds, we bought them and the flowers even grew in the Leningrad region.

Villandry Castle, built in 1536, is the last of the great castles built on the banks of the Loire during the Renaissance. To build the castle, Jean Le Breton, Francis I's finance minister, demolished the old 12th-century fortress, of which only the foundations and the inner donjon remain today.

But the castle is famous not so much for its architectural decoration as for its three-tiered formal gardens.

The decoration of the castle pales in comparison to the splendor of the gardens. The Villandry gardens are Italian Renaissance gardens, the forerunners of classical French gardens.

A little history of Villandry

The heirs of Jeanne Le Breton owned Villandry until 1754, when the estate came into the possession of the Marquis de Castelan, the royal ambassador, a representative of a noble Provençal family. During his time, extensions were made in the classical style, which are located on both sides of the front yard. He also changed the interiors of the castle and brought them into line with the ideas of comfort accepted in the 18th century. Significant changes took place in the 19th century - the traditional garden was destroyed when an English park was created around the castle. In 1906, the castle was purchased by Joaquim Carvalho, who was born in Spain in 1869. He left his scientific career, which he had shared with Professor Charles Richet (Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1913), and devoted himself entirely to the restoration of the Villandry castle. For the restoration, he used a literary source - a book on architecture of the 16th century “The Most Remarkable architectural structures

France." Its author, J. Andruet Du Cersault, described the layout of French gardens during the Renaissance. Joaquim supplemented this work with archaeological excavations, during which the remains of an old French-style park were discovered. On this basis, the gardens that delight us today were recreated. Joaquim Carvalho is also famous for having founded the Casa Historico in 1924, the first association to unite the owners of historic castles, and for being the initiator of opening these architectural monuments to the general public.

Villandry Gardens The gardens of Villandry are divided into as many as 7 gardens of different character.

If you think that these are just beautiful geometric shapes, then you are deeply mistaken. Every pattern in the flower beds and every characteristic technique of cutting shrubs has a deep meaning.

The first is the ornamental garden of Villandry. Panoramic view

The ornamental decorative garden is located above the vegetable garden and is an extension of the castle's living rooms. In order to fully take in it with your gaze, you need to climb up to the belvedere. From there you can clearly see the four squares located below, which form the so-called "Gardens of Love".

Gardens of Love

"Tender Love" symbolize hearts separated by flames. In the center the bush is trimmed in the shape of ball masks. (upper left corner of photo above)

"Passionate love" is also formed by hearts, but these are hearts broken by passion. They are intertwined and associated with dance. (upper right corner of photo above)

"Fickle Love"- these are four fans in the corners that embody the changeability of feelings. Between them are horns - a symbol of betrayal and deceived love. (bottom left corner of photo above)

"Tragic Love" shown with the blades of daggers and swords in memory of duels over rivalry in love. Red flowers are an allegory of shed blood. (bottom right corner of photo above)

Next to the gardens of love there are three large arrays in the shape of three crosses - in the center there is a Maltese cross, to the left of it is a Languedoc cross, and to the right is a Basque cross. Stylized lily flowers are located along the ditches with water. (photo below)

Ornamental garden, view of the crosses

On the other side of the canal there is a “second salon”, where trimmed bushes embody an allegory of music. Here you can see lyres, stylized musical notes and candelabra needed to illuminate the score.

Villandry water garden

The water garden has a classic Louis XV style layout and is set around a large mirror-shaped pond surrounded by linden trees. This is an ideal place for relaxation, meditation and respite while exploring.

Garden of the Sun

The newly created garden was called solar. Featuring three types of vegetation, this garden is a great place to unwind. The “cloud room” is formed by shrubs and plants with white and blue flowers. “Sunny Room” is designed in yellow and orange tones.

Labyrinth of Villandry

The labyrinth is full of charm and embodies the allegory of life's journey. It is based on the Christian tradition and, unlike the Greek labyrinth, has no dead ends. Therefore, the visitor’s task is not to find a way out, but to gradually free himself from everything vain on the way to the central tent.

Between the vegetable garden and the church there is an apothecary garden. This is a traditional medieval garden where aromatic herbs, spices and medicinal plants grow.

Garden Garden

View of the vegetable garden

Between the castle and the village lies a typical Renaissance garden. It consists of nine squares of the same size with different geometric patterns.

The squares are planted with vegetables of various colors (blue leeks, red cabbage and beets, green carrot tops) so that the impression of a multi-colored chessboard appears. The tradition of such a vegetable garden dates back to the Middle Ages. The monks of the abbey often gave vegetable beds a geometric shape, most often the shape of a cross. Rosehip seedlings symbolize monks bending over their beds. The second tradition came from Italy and brought decorative elements to the monastery garden: fountains, gazebos and flower beds.

French gardeners of the 16th century combined both traditions - monastic and Italian - and created new type a garden where roses were planted and new vegetables brought from the “Americas” were bred. They called such a garden an ornamental vegetable garden. Such gardens were described by Jacques Andruet du Cersault, a 16th-century architect. At the beginning of the 20th century, his plans inspired Joaquim Carvalho to restore his gardens.

Caring for Villandry gardens

Naturally, such gardens require careful care and are very labor-intensive to maintain. There are two plantings in the garden every year: one in the spring (from March to June), the second in the summer (from June to November). About forty types of vegetables belonging to eight botanical families are planted every year. With each planting, the composition changes taking into account the harmonious combination of colors and shapes, as well as compliance with the rules of gardening, indicating that a three-year cycle of alternating plantings will avoid soil depletion

Since 2009, gardeners have revised their methods Agriculture in favor of “organic farming”: digging, loosening, introducing beneficial insects into the garden eliminates the need for pesticide treatment. This change required new working methods and small additional expenses. Which is largely compensated by the impressive result and the revival of gardeners’ interest in their profession. Irrigation is carried out by a dug-in automatic watering system in a closed circle.

These gardens, strictly following the widely used principles of symmetry, require constant care. The 1,015 linden trees that grow throughout the garden also require annual winter pruning, which four gardeners work on for three months.

The total length of the hedges is 52 km and pruning should be carried out regularly from April to October.

Every year, seedlings of 115,000 flowers and vegetables are planted in the garden, 50% are grown in the gardens' greenhouses, the rest are imported from other greenhouses.

| 11 | 4 000, today 8 |

Often in castles with parks it is possible to buy a ticket either for the castle only or for the castle + park. In Villandry, the opposite is true - either a castle + garden (10 euros), or only a garden (6.50 euros). Indeed, people come to Villandry precisely for the gardens...

In 1189, in Villandry, which at that time was the fortified fortress of Colombier, a meeting took place between the King of France Philip Augustus and the King of England Henry II Plantagenet. The conversation ended with the signing of the “Colombier Peace Treaty” in favor of Philip-Augustus.

Villandry Castle ( Chateau de Villandry)

Several centuries later, the castle became the property of Francis I's Secretary of State, Jean le Breton. A descendant of immigrants from Scotland wanted to build a beautiful castle for himself, different from others medieval fortresses. The most ancient buildings were demolished, and in 1536 construction began on a new building in the shape of the letter P.

Villandry Castle ( Chateau de Villandry)

The two wings of the castle are an example of Renaissance architecture; in their construction, elements characteristic of 16th-century castles were used: large windows decorated with pilasters and capitals, friezes, dormers with volutes and tympanums.

Villandry Castle ( Chateau de Villandry)

The interior of the castle dates back to the 18th century.

Villandry Castle ( Chateau de Villandry)

There is no special luxury here, but everything is done with taste.

Villandry Castle ( Chateau de Villandry)

The dining room is available for inspection...

Villandry Castle ( Chateau de Villandry)

Bedroom...

Villandry Castle ( Chateau de Villandry)

There is even an art gallery.

Villandry Castle ( Chateau de Villandry)

The ceiling of the room with paintings is made in the Moorish style.

Ceiling

There are also sculptures with hard scenes.

Sculpture

On two of the four sides the castle is surrounded by a moat with water.

Villandry Castle ( Chateau de Villandry)

There are teeming fish here. There are also gold ones.

Fish

The canal runs through the entire garden, which has a clear structure.

On the lower level there is a decorative vegetable garden. This part of the ensemble is made in the form of 9 multi-colored flower beds. In the 16th century were created botanical gardens, in which specimens of plants unknown in Europe until that time were planted. The Villandry gardens were restored at the beginning of the 20th century. thanks to Dr. Joaquim Carvalho. In square flower beds you can see cabbage, carrots, beets, lettuce, as well as apple and pear trees.

Gardens of Villandry

The decorative boxwood garden of the middle terrace represents the "Gardens of Love".

Gardens of Villandry

4 large squares depict allegories of love - Passionate love, Infidelity, Tender feelings and Tragic love.

Gardens of Villandry

In the upper left square of the terrace there are three large diamonds, within which the Languedoc, Maltese and Basque crosses can be seen.

Gardens of Villandry

The upper level is a water mirror.

Water Garden (Jardin d'eau)

There is an alley around the pond. There is no path here - so it’s even somehow awkward that you have to pull out the grass.

Water Garden (Jardin d'eau)

Swans swim peacefully in the pond.

Water Garden (Jardin d'eau)

The park is so big that it seems completely deserted.

Water Garden (Jardin d'eau)

Here I happily lay on the grass. During our French trip, we visited several park ensembles at once. So it was the Villandry gardens that I liked the most!

Water Garden (Jardin d'eau)

To the side of the park with a pond is the Garden of the Sun.

This garden is filled with a variety of flowers.

Garden of the Sun (Jardin du soleil)

And under it there was a small boxwood labyrinth.

Labyrinth

This completed our “castle” trip, and we returned to Saint-Nazaire...

Half a year ago I showed you a lot. Let me remind you of something spectacular, look for the rest at the link.

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, at 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 to take 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, the 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 Owners Association 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 "Historic 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 yard is not fenced with castle buildings, but on the contrary is completely open with 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 preserve the main tower of the old fortress, thereby emphasizing the castle’s belonging to feudal times, organically fitting it into the complex of Renaissance buildings. Tower 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 castle's configuration 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 along its middle part, and the wings of the building differ slightly in length and are located at different angles. On the lower floor there is a dining room and a 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 on 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 “cloud room” 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” - “children’s” - playground for kids among 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 Cersault, 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 3,600 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 Compostel, 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 boxwood roots. 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 characterized by strict geometric lines and a pronounced architectural solution. 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 allowed 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 medicinal properties 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 Villandry's garden ensemble with large colorful 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. The Villandry garden follows this ancient 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!

In 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.

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, 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

sources
http://www.cult-turist.ru
http://www.castlesguide.ru
http://france-guide.livejournal.com
http://www.castle-france.ru
http://castles-europe.ru

And of course, I’ll also remind you about several spectacular castles: or in Austria The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -

Not far from the Loire River valley stands the majestic ancient castle of Villandry. This building dates back to the Renaissance. Although Villandry Castle was originally a defensive fortress. It was here that a peace treaty was signed between the two sovereigns of the two great powers at that time - France and England. In the western tower of Villandry Castle, King Henry II Plantagenet of England and King Philip Augustus of France agreed on July 4, 1189 to end hostilities against each other. At the same time, it was France that received a significant advantage under this agreement.

Much time has passed since then, but Villandry Castle is still a favorite place to visit for all French people without exception. Guests of this country do not stand aside either.

History of Villandry Castle

Several centuries after the signing of the peace treaty, Jean le Breton took possession of the castle. This prominent state figure was involved in the construction of other castles and fortifications. Under his leadership, the construction and reconstruction of Fontainebleau Castle took place. A little later, he supervised the construction of Chambord Castle.

Thanks to his knowledge and experience, he managed to transform the ancient castle of Villandry into luxurious palace. Modern look The castle no longer resembles a fortification. Jean le Breton had ancient Scottish roots and knew how to find beauty and grace in the world around him. Therefore, the construction of the castle was carried out according to sketches created in a light Empire style.

The buildings of Villandry Castle that we see today were built in 1536. The shape of the building was chosen in the form of the letter U with two independent wings. Inside the side buildings there is a courtyard facing the bend of the Loire River. The light and graceful architecture was complemented by large casement windows, balustrades, columns and various stucco moldings that decorated the facades. Both facades

were made in the same style, but with slight asymmetry. This gave the building grace and lightness. It seemed as if the castle was floating in the air.

Currently, Villandry Castle is private property. But the castle doors are always open to visitors on weekdays and weekends. Admission ticket going inside the castle costs from 2 to 5 euros depending on visiting hours. If necessary, you can use the services of a guide who will tell the history of the castle and highlight the origin of its main exhibits.

Villandry Gardens

The famous gardens of Villandry appeared here immediately after construction was completed. And they owe their appearance to the same Jean le Breton. At one time he served as the French ambassador to Italy. It was in this country that he first became acquainted with massive gardens and parks, richly decorated with flowering plants. Immediately after returning home, he laid out three-level gardens in his family castle. This is how the Villandry gardens first appeared.

The Garden of Love of Villandry today is a massive architectural landscape group. Its distinctive features:

large area of plantings;
wide alleys;
parterres with flower beds along alleys and walking paths;
The contours of the gardens consist of neatly trimmed shrubs.

The love gardens of Villandry have three levels:

most high level- a pond with mirror-like water;
the middle level is occupied by a decorative garden with flower beds;
The lower level is traditionally used in France for growing vegetable crops.

It is no coincidence that the gardens of Villandry are called love gardens. The geometric shapes and arrangement of plants here are designed in accordance with the allegories of love symbolism. In particular, the massif in the north and west is planted in the shape of a heart pierced by an arrow of Cupid. In the east of the garden, plants are arranged in groups whose appearance resembles horns, fans and other symbols of treason. In the south, gardens gradually turn into a zone of passion. The dominant color here is red. Symbolism - flames, swords, duels.

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