CHÂTEAUX 2021 THE GUIDE


planted “to create harmonious tableaux of colours, particularly in autumn”. There is even a cemetery for dogs, created by Princesse de Broglie who lived there in the 1880s. Most of the graves still bear the epitaph poems the animal-loving princess had carved on them. For 2021, the highlight is an international garden festival called Biomimicry in the Garden, in which garden designers seek inspiration from natural phenomena such as photosynthesis,


bioluminescence, water storage, spiders’ silk and termite mounds. “The aim is to restore nature – animals as well as plants – to its place at the heart of human projects,” says the festival director Chantal Colleu-Dumond. “Nature is therefore no longer just a resource or a constraint; it is a real source of inspiration.” The gardens reopened on May 8, and the château itself 11 days later. The garden festival runs until November 7. domaine-chaumont.fr/en


Château d’Ussé (Indre-et-Loire)


Shielded from the outside world by the thick Chinon forest, the Château d’Ussé was the inspiration for the Charles Perrault fairytale Sleeping Beauty. And when you view its Gothic turrets, soaring chimneys, grand staircases and sumptuous interiors, you quickly realise why. The pièce


de résistance, however, are the terraced gardens, designed by André Le Nôtre, the brains behind the Palace of Versailles’ landscaping. Le Nôtre aimed to bowl over visitors by playing around with symmetry, geometrical shapes and perspective, and by adorning his gardens with fountains, ornamental lakes, fruit trees, fl ower beds and cedars. The results are stunning. Just remember what happened to Sleeping Beauty: don’t prick your fi nger! Garden and château set to reopen on May 21. www.chateaudusse.fr


Château de Villandry (Indre-et-Loire)


Above all else, the Château de Villandry is famed for its gardens, a meticulous network of tidy box hedges, fragrant herbs and vibrant fl owers. Smartly planted, they offer a multi-coloured feast, whatever the time of year, thanks to their seasonal plants and veg: in autumn, hues of orange, red and purple prevail, while in high summer you’ll experience dazzling greens and hot pinks. The interior is also a sight for sore eyes, with gorgeous Renaissance décor and rooms laid out to stir the imagination about life in the 16th century. www.chateauvillandry.fr/en


Château de Hautefort (Dordogne)


Over the years, a dozen or so directors have chosen to ❯❯


DOMAIN OF CHAUMONT-SUR-LOIRE INTERNATIONAL GARDEN FESTIVAL


2021 UNTIL 7TH


OFNOVEMBER


BIOMIMICRY IN THE GARDEN


Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire has 80 acres of parks and gardens to explore Jun/Jul 2021 FRANCE TODAY ❘ 135 TYPON_FRANCE-TODAY_90x262mm+5fp.indd 1 FT183.CHATEAUX GUIDE.indd 135 11/05/2021 14:17 14/05/2021 15:49


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