The British are known to be a nation of gardeners but did you know that the French are just as enthusiastic and obsessive about their gardens?!
The French equivalent of the UK’s Chelsea Flower Show, is The International Garden Festival at the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire.
Each year a series of conceptual gardens are created chosen from hundreds of submissions from designers from all around the world and put on show in the Chaumont Festival over a period of six months.
More than twenty amazing gardens – the most innovative, original, beautiful and sensational designs are brought to life in the fabulous setting of the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire. Located 200km south of Paris, between the towns of Tours and Blois, and home to a beautiful chateau which dates back to the 10th century.
Chaumont-sur-Loire château is a UNESCO world heritage site – it is a perfect illustration of both the defensive architecture of its period and the architecture related to the pleasurable pursuits of the Renaissance.
The palace once belonged to Queen Catherine de Medici and later Diane de Poitiers and reached its peak at the end of the 19th century thanks to Prince and Princess de Broglie. The royal couple designed magnificent modern stables, with the help of Maison Hermès, and entrusted Henri Duchêne, the landscape architect, with the creation of a landscaped park.
You’ll also find the beautiful permanent gardens of the Chateau – the farmyard gardens, white rose garden, vegetable garden, children’s garden and many more different themes.
The icing on the cake – tour the Chateau, contemporary art exhibitions and park which are open all year round.
Visit the International Garden Festival at the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire from April to October.
See the website for www.domaine-chaumont.fr for further details.
More on fabulous gardens of France.
