A garden tour of France by Stéphane Marie (Flammarion, 2026) takes you on a stroll through 27 remarkable French gardens all open to the public. The vast diversity is inspiring – from Normandy to Brittany, the Loire Valley and the French Riviera. There are grand formal French parterres with meticulously sculpted topiaries, poetic bohemian country estates, idyllic and peaceful water gardens and even an exotic tropical oasis on the glittering Mediterranean coast. There’s also the Priory of Orsan – a stunning medieval garden in the Loire Valley.
In the late twentieth century, when reinventing the medieval garden was in vogue, the Orsan priory was undeniably one of the most spectacular examples of these recreations. Today it showcases techniques like pleaching and raised wattle beds, some of which had been forgotten to history. Above all, it is a masterly example of the architectural use of plants in a way that is as contemporary as it is medieval.
In the medieval world, the aesthetics of a garden were designed to be appreciated from above, as this human creation was intended for the eyes of the Almighty. Beauty inclined humans toward temptation and pleasure, after all, and from there to sin was but a short step. So it was deemed wiser to avert one’s gaze, or rather not to compromise it, and to leave judgement to the divine presence. In the Renaissance period, pleasure became less straitlaced, fortunately, and people were able to give freer rein to their creativity, sometimes at the expense of symbolism.
The Orsan priory bridges the centuries in a unique way, having more or less survived all of the trials and tribulations that have been thrown at it during its long and checkered history. While many of its occupants and visitors down the centuries brought destruction with them, others have made magnificent efforts to restore, reinvent, and maintain the location.
In the twelfth century, Robert d’Arbrissel, founder of the royal abbey of Fontevraud, created a new Fontevrist foundation, the Priory of Notre-Dame d’Orsan, encompassing a chapel, mill, cloister, and numerous convent buildings. At the end of his life, wanting to satisfy the rival demands of the lords of the two sites, d’Arbrissel divided up his mortal remains: his body would go to Fontevraud, while his heart would stay at Orsan. To house the relic, the priory erected a marble mausoleum, which, over the years, became a place of pilgrimage. According to the growing number of pilgrims who flocked there, the relic performed miracles, and Robert d’Arbrissel gained his reputation for saintliness.
Generously endowed by grateful souls and administered with devoted fervor by successive generations of nuns, the priory prospered for centuries. Then came wars and revolution. Having survived the Hundred Years’ War, Orsan succumbed to the Wars of Religion. During the French Revolution, the four buildings that were all that remained of the former priory were sold off, and the paneling in the parlor vanished amid the stench of manure and the profiteering of local farmers.
In 1926, the imposing main buildings were, nonetheless, listed as historic monuments. Seventy years later, when chicken coops and dilapidated farm machinery were the sole occupants of the abandoned courtyard overlooked by deserted buildings, architects Patrice Taravella and Sonia Lesot bought the priory and nearly a hundred acres (forty hectares) of surrounding woodland and meadows. They renovated the buildings and conceived a priory constructed from plants, skillfully combining the old with the new, the symbolic with the aesthetic.
Nowadays, whether viewed from above or at ground level, beauty is everywhere to be seen in this space designed for the mind and body—an elegant tribute to the original priory. It was classed as a “Jardin Remarquable” in 2004.
With the help of the scholarly gardener Gilles Guillot, the two architects drew inspiration from medieval illuminations to create twelve enclosed gardens, capturing the essence of the religious order’s gardens, at once symbolic and practical.
The visit begins with the cloister, which is devoted to prayer and meditation, as well as being the very first garden, the Garden of Eden. Its grassy paths are flanked by perfectly clipped hornbeam hedges, while drifts of purple alliums and hostas blend softly beside them. And in the middle of it all flows a river—or rather a fountain, with jets symbolizing the four rivers that watered Paradise. Squares of vines surround the spring, symbolizing the wine that quenched the thirst of the nuns and the local people, while also symbolizing the Eucharist.
After this the parterres follow quite naturally: the first is planted with spelt, the second with fava beans, with an olive grove nearby. The trio of biblical plants that were used to make bread, wine, and oil thus ensure the health of our bodies and the elevation of our souls. Overlooking the squares is a mesh made up of plants, with windows that to the medieval imagination might have conjured up niches for the twelve apostles.
The maze tempts visitors to linger among the daffodils and crocuses, in search of paradise once again. At the center, an apple tree, clipped to make a flat canopy supported by stakes, provides shade and salvation.
The garden’s charm also lies in its unique decorative features: elaborate structures built in situ from chestnut wood, serving as supports for the plants while also embellishing the space with their unexpected airy architecture. Pergolas and edgings in wood, stone, and metal recall medieval techniques, while the hedges are pierced with oval and oeil-de-boeuf windows that offer fresh vistas at every turn. The visit continues with the Jardins de Marie (Mary’s Gardens), planted with roses, violets, and lilies—three flowers that are emblematic of the Virgin Mary.
In the large kitchen garden, artichokes, Russian cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins flourish in woven wattle raised beds. The vegetables are mingled with flowers such as red flax, which attracts pollinating insects. The gardener, Thierry Joubert, is a sworn enemy of pesticides and instead favors manual techniques and clever plant combinations. Yet another highlight is the herb garden, dedicated to medicinal plants. Finally, we come to the orchards of pears, apples, and small fruits, all subject to a single rule at Orsan: one fruit is for the birds, the second for visitors, and the third for the owners to make jam.
On the façade of the main building, a large floral heart prompts thoughts of the relic of Robert d’Arbrissel. And so, we come full circle.
Since 2017, English fashion designers Gareth Casey and Cyril Pearon have been the fortunate new owners of Orsan, breathing new life into the gardens. Inspired by the old spaces, they have created new ones with a focus on respect for nature and plants, always with the aim of making the garden yet more beautiful. A tearoom offers gourmet lunches and teas, and a shop sells a wide range of gardening tools, nesting boxes, fresh fruit juices, and homemade jams.
Extracted from A Garden Tour of France by Stéphane Marie (Flammarion, 2026).
