Building: Chateau and Gardens of VillandryLocation: Villandry, Loire Valley, France
Architect: Jean le Breton
Date: +/- 1536
Use: Residence (originally)
Style: Renaissance
Traveling through the lush Loire Valley, we made several stops - one of which was to this "little" (we did afterall, just come from Vaux-le-Vicomte and Versailles) Renaissance Chateau et Jardin of Villandry. It was quite large (compared to my home I'm sitting in right now), but compared to the previous chateaus we visited, it was quite homey. And quaint. Going through the chateau, we ended up at this tiny door that opened up to a narrow wooden spiral staircase. Seeing that it was not a prohibited direction, we climbed... slowly and carefully (as some of the wooden steps were sloped, worn and the run was smaller than my size 6 feet), at times gripping the center post and supporting ourselves against the wall... and emerged onto the rooftop. It was worth the moments of thinking we'd be trapped in the tower forever for fear of climbing further.
The gardens and grounds spread all around the chateau very geometrically. There was the vegetable garden area, the fruits, the florals, the open patch of green, the canal, the pond/lake complete with swans... yes it was quaint. And very Renaissance.
1. scale model of the Chateau and its' grounds; 2. the very Alice-in-Wonderland Queen-of-Hearts garden; 3. pumpkin patch! 4. looking down the canal (the grounds' watering system) from the chateau; 5. looking down the canal towards the chateau, grapevines growing
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