1. St-Céneri-le-Gérei, Orne, Normandy - Gardens of la Mansonière (20km, 25 mins)
In the Alpes Mancelles on the northern outskirts of St-Céneri-le-Gérei, one of the "Most Beautiful Villages of France", are the Gardens of la Mansonière. A succession of individual gardens, divided by hedges and walls and each with its own character, leads you onward.
The Rose Garden
The Moon Garden
The Tranquil Garden
The Perfumed Garden
The Terrace
The Courtyard
The Stage
The Garden of Contrasts
The Nut Tree Garden
The Gothic Garden
The Promenade
Refreshments and small souvenir shop.
Open mid-April to end of May Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons 14.30h to 18.30h.
June to mid September open every afternoon except Tuesday.
2. Ballon, Sarthe, Pays de la Loire - Gardens du Donjon de Ballon (30km, 30 mins)
Ballon is at a strategic point in the Sarthe, between Mamers and Le Mans. An ancient outpost guarding the entry to the Maine, the Fortress of Ballon has a spectacular setting on a rocky outcrop looking northwards over Normandy with superb views from the gardens. It has been classed as a national monument for almost a hundred years. Nearest parking is in the small square at the top of the hill as you approach into Ballon centre. The château and gardens of Ballon are not well signposted - they are down a narrow street from this square. There is more parking further on in the main square near a hotel/restaurant.
The fortified château of Ballon is surrounded by extensive medieval and renaissance gardens which display topiary, fruit trees, old-fashioned roses, clematis, paeonies and viburnums. NB The courtyard garden (above) is only open at weekends.
1 June to mid July, gardens open every weekend afternoon from 14.30h to 18.30h.
Mid July to end of August, gardens and castle open every afternoon except Wednesday from 14.30h to 18.30h.
3. St-Biez-en-Belin, Sarthe, Pays de la Loire - "Garden of Atmosphere" Petit Bordeaux (80km, 50mns)
One of our favourite gardens in all of France, awarded first prize in the 2007 'Top des Parcs' competition judged by garden experts and journalists. The owners created the garden from scratch, starting in 1987. Designated 'Garden of Note' by the Ministry of Culture. A veritable maze of a garden covering 4 acres, packed with plants both common and unusual (huge variety of day-lilies) with water gardens, trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses and old rose varieties. Plant nursery.
1 April to 15 November, every day except Tuesday, 10.00h to 12.30h and 14.00h to 19.00h
4. St-Christophe-le-Jajolet, Orne, Normandy - Garden and Château de Sassy (45km, 40 mins)
Near St-Christophe-le-Jajolet is the 18th century Château de Sassy. A visit to the gardens (free) can be combined with a guided visit to the château interior. The garden is a tracery of clipped box hedges and yew, the parterres picked out in pink gravel and laid out below the towering terraces of the château. At one end of the garden is a charming orangery, framed by limes. The current gardens were designed by Achille Duchene in the mid-1920s.
Open from Easter to end of September Saturday and Sunday afternoons 15.00h to 18.00h.
Open every day from mid-June to mid-September mornings 10.30h to 12.30h and afternoons 14.00h to 18.00h.
5. Vendeuvre, Calvados, Normandy - Gardens and Château de Vendeuvre (100km, 1hr 10)
A visit to Château de Carrouges in the morning can be combined with a visit to Vendeuvre in the afternoon.
The Château of Vendeuvre was built in 1750 by Alexandre le Forestier d'Osseville as a summer residence; it has been occupied by the same family for over 250 years. The château is a perfect illustration of a French stately home and has preserved its original decor and furniture.
The orangerie houses a Museum of Doll's House Furniture with more than 700 pieces of furniture and thousands of other tiny reproductions.
Around the château are three superb gardens: a garden in the formal French parterre style, a vegetable garden and the famous water gardens.
Open May to September daily 11.00h to 18.00h.
October Sunday afternoons 14.00h to 18.00h.
6. Beaumesnil, Calvados, Normandy - Gardens and Château de Beaumesnil (115km, 1hr 20)
The present day gardens were constructed in the 18th century.
Formal French gardens with superb vistas, box tree maze, lakes, motte and 120 acres of parkland. The chateau also boasts a superb moat and is open for visitors.
Open from Easter to June 30th Friday to Monday, from 14.00h to 18.00h.
July and August open every day from 11.00h to 18.00h.
September open every day except Tuesday, from 12.00h to 18.00h.
7. Champ de la Pierre, Orne, Normandy - Gardens of the Château (45km, 50 min)
A wide beech avenue leads from the château to the lake which is surrounded by woods, meadows and orchards. Follow the path along the water's edge to find little landing bays, a maze and follies in the château grounds.
Open mid-July to end of September mornings 10.00h to 12.00h and afternoons 14.30h to 18.30h.
In July and August also visit the fascinating old forges nearby at les Forges de la Pierre.
8. Préaux-du-Perche, Orne, Normandy - Garden François (45km, 45 mins)
A garden extending over 8 acres with ponds, "garden rooms" packed with a huge variety of flowering plants and shrubs, and a rosary.
In theory it is open all year, from sunrise to sunset, but it is best visited in May and June - judging from our visits, from midsummer onwards some parts "get away from" the owners and go a bit wild - you could call it shabby chic.
The Jardin François is near to another garden, the Parc du Château de Lorière at La Rouge - see below.
10. La Rouge, Orne, Normandy - Gardens and Château de Lorière (50km, 50min)
The park of the château de Lorière is very much in the English style, alternating lawns, woods and groves of exotic trees collected from foreign lands. On the walk through the gardens there are lovely views of the Perche hills round about. In addition to the park itself there is a kitchen garden and a rose garden with hundreds of old varieties, many beautifully scented.
Open weekends from 1 May to 30 September, 10.00h to 12.00h and 14.00h to 18.00h.
The Parc du Château de Lorière is near to another garden, the Jardin François - see above.
A succession of gardens such as the rose garden, physic garden and iris garden are distributed around the priory buildings, built in the half timbered, colombage style that some consider typical of Normandy. The grounds also include orchards, a wildflower garden, a water garden and superb water lily pond.
Open Wednesday to Sunday from 1st May to end of September, afternoons only from 14.00h to 18.00h.
12. Le Lude, Sarthe, Pays de la Loire - Park and Château du Lude (100km, 1hr 20)
The Château du Lude is the northernmost of the major Loire Valley châteaux. This impressive château is just south of Le Mans and not far from the gardens of Petit Bordeaux at . Different parts of the château reveal its origins as a medieval fortress, then a Renaissance château, with final additions in the 18th-19th centuries. It has been in the same family for 250 years.
The extensive grounds, which run alongside the river Loir, include a formal French parterre, woodland and a rose garden.
Open from 1 April to end of September every day except Wednesdays in April, May, June and September.
Gardens can be visited 10.00h to 12.30h and 14.00h to 18.00h; tours of the château interior 14.30h to 18.00h.
13. Champ du Bataille, Eure, Normandy - Gardens and Chateau du Champ du Bataille (140km, 1hr 30min)
At Champ du Bataille is a magnificent new garden based on the classic French style but with many modern twists. The old gardens had fallen into disrepair and gone without trace when Jacques Garcia took it upon himself to create a garden in the grounds of the chateau, which is situated next to probably the best golf course in western France.
An outline plan of the former gardens survived, which revealed the basic outline and terraces of the disappeared garden.
This was used as a guideline, but the execution of the new garden (begun in 1993 and continuing over the next 12 years) is a superb effort of artistic design and inspiration, with classical influences. Parterres, follies, classical temples, fountains, lakes - 43 hectares of park and garden in all with a vista stretching over a mile from the main terrace of the chateau.
Chateau and gardens open weekends and public holidays from Easter to end of October from 14.00h to 18.00h.
May open every day 14.00h to 18.00h.
July to August open every day 10.00h to 18.00h.
14. Colombiers-du-Plessis, Mayenne, Pays de la Loire - Garden des Renaudies (85km, 1hr 30min)
At Colombiers-du-Plessis the English-style botanic garden of Jardin des Renaudies covers 10 acres. 3000 different shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plants, topped of by an "ecomusée" in the former farm buildings, give the visitor an unforgettable floral experience.
Open April to mid-October Tues - Sat 13.30h - 18.00h, Sun 14.00h - 19.00h.
Ballon is at a strategic point in the Sarthe, between Mamers and Le Mans. An ancient outpost guarding the entry to the Maine, the Fortress of Ballon has a spectacular setting on a rocky outcrop looking northwards over Normandy with superb views from the gardens. It has been classed as a national monument for almost a hundred years. Nearest parking is in the small square at the top of the hill as you approach into Ballon centre. The château and gardens of Ballon are not well signposted - they are down a narrow street from this square. There is more parking further on in the main square near a hotel/restaurant.
The fortified château of Ballon is surrounded by extensive medieval and renaissance gardens which display topiary, fruit trees, old-fashioned roses, clematis, paeonies and viburnums. NB The courtyard garden (above) is only open at weekends.
Near St-Christophe-le-Jajolet is the 18th century Château de Sassy. A visit to the gardens (free) can be combined with a guided visit to the château interior. The garden is a tracery of clipped box hedges and yew, the parterres picked out in pink gravel and laid out below the towering terraces of the château. At one end of the garden is a charming orangery, framed by limes. The current gardens were designed by Achille Duchene in the mid-1920s.
Open from Easter to end of September Saturday and Sunday afternoons 15.00h to 18.00h.
A visit to Château de Carrouges in the morning can be combined with a visit to Vendeuvre in the afternoon.
The present day gardens were constructed in the 18th century.
A wide beech avenue leads from the château to the lake which is surrounded by woods, meadows and orchards. Follow the path along the water's edge to find little landing bays, a maze and follies in the château grounds.
A garden extending over 8 acres with ponds, "garden rooms" packed with a huge variety of flowering plants and shrubs, and a rosary.
Near Monceaux-au-Perche is the 16th century Manoir du Pontgirard. The manor house sits among terraced gardens picked out by yew hedges.
The park of the château de Lorière is very much in the English style, alternating lawns, woods and groves of exotic trees collected from foreign lands. On the walk through the gardens there are lovely views of the Perche hills round about. In addition to the park itself there is a kitchen garden and a rose garden with hundreds of old varieties, many beautifully scented.
A succession of gardens such as the rose garden, physic garden and iris garden are distributed around the priory buildings, built in the half timbered, colombage style that some consider typical of Normandy. The grounds also include orchards, a wildflower garden, a water garden and superb water lily pond.
The Château du Lude is the northernmost of the major Loire Valley châteaux. This impressive château is just south of Le Mans and not far from the gardens of Petit Bordeaux at . Different parts of the château reveal its origins as a medieval fortress, then a Renaissance château, with final additions in the 18th-19th centuries. It has been in the same family for 250 years.
At Champ du Bataille is a magnificent new garden based on the classic French style but with many modern twists. The old gardens had fallen into disrepair and gone without trace when Jacques Garcia took it upon himself to create a garden in the grounds of the chateau, which is situated next to probably the best golf course in western France.
