A Journey through France’s Most Beautiful Gardens 

(part 1)

France, renowned for its rich cultural heritage and picturesque landscapes, boasts an exquisite array of breathtaking gardens that captivate visitors from around the world. From meticulously manicured designs to lush, untamed oases, these green havens offer an immersive experience that seamlessly blends artistry, nature, and history. In this article, we embark on a journey through the enchanting world of French gardens, with a special focus on seven exceptional destinations that have been explored by La Voyagiste Paris.

Marqueyssac garden

In the Périgord region, near La Roque Gageac and overlooking the Dordogne river, stands the splendid Marqueyssac garden, 130 meters above the valley.

From its rocky spur, the 22-hectare garden dominates the entire Dordogne valley, offering spectacular views. The castles of Castelnaud, Beynac and La Roque Gageac, among the highlights of the Périgord region, are also visible. The Marqueyssac garden is therefore the ideal starting point for a stay in this wonderful region. A stroll through the gardens of Marqueyssac offers a lovely and bucolic stroll of several kilometers through hand-trimmed boxwood and natural gardens. The special characteristic of the gardens are the hundred-year-old boxwoods, which are trimmed to create a romantic atmosphere.

We recommend taking the grand tour of the garden, finishing with lunch or tea time in the restaurant, which is not only delicious but also offers an incredible view of the Dordogne, accompanied by blue peacocks.

Château de la Ballue’s garden

The château is home to one of France’s remarkable gardens, for an enchanting, bucolic stroll. The first thing we discover is a garden with a geometric look that invites you to daydream, facing the château, and adjoined by a sublime wisteria-covered path between light and shade, the ideal place to sit on a bench and read a book or just admire the view.

The route continues with different intentions, sometimes a labyrinth, sometimes a moat garden, the stroll is idyllic and allows a real connection with nature.

We particularly recommend doing it at sunset at the end of the day for exceptional light in the gardens.

Etretat garden

Etretat’s fabulous garden, offering a lovely view of the cliffs in the distance, and a magical setting in the heart of this natural place.

The garden was initiated by Mme Thébault near her villa on the Falaise d’Amont, offering a unique view of the Aiguille creuse. In 2017, the garden was taken over and restored by landscape architect Alexandre Grivko. He created a contemporary garden whose architecture represents the history and symbols of Normandy. In his ambition for a contemporary garden, Grivko wanted to create an open-air museum where art and nature meet.

Sculptures in the shape of a large head with different emotions form a playful mise-en-scène. These “Raindrops”, sculpted by Samuel Salcedo, represent different human expressions and are open to subjective interpretation by visitors.

Giverny, Claude Monet’s garden

Immerse yourself in the living masterpiece that inspired one of the greatest Impressionist painters of all time: Claude Monet.

The famous painter was also a gardener, and the garden at Giverny is his creation and primary inspiration. When he acquired his home in Giverny, he laid out his garden like a canvas: colorful flowerbeds, vegetable garden, water garden, water lily ponds, Japanese bridges and more.

The garden is a veritable showcase of colorful, inspiring beauty, where you feel right at home. It’s easy to understand why Claude Monet lived here for some 40 years, and why Giverny was his refuge. His greatest paintings, Les Nymphéas, were inspired and created here.

Eyrignac garden

A true jewel in the heart of Périgord, the Eyrignac garden is a gentle blend of poetry and grace.

The golden-colored Manoir d’Artaban at the heart of the garden is a family property that has been home to 22 generations of Costes de la Calprenède. Surrounding it are 10 hectares of greenery and 7 gardens of singular inspiration. The best-known are the plant sculptures, known as topiary art. Eyrignac is the master of this art, with numerous sculptures in spherical, circular, cubic, animal or free-form shapes, depending on the imagination of the gardeners. The white garden, a parterre à la française, also adorns the Eyrignac garden, combining pruned boxwood and water basins to create a poetic setting of the finest effect.

A stroll through the gardens of Eyrignac is an invitation to dream and romance.

Villandry garden

The Château de Villandry in the Loire Valley is surrounded by sumptuous gardens of Renaissance-inspired design, these gardens feature intricate geometric patterns, fragrant rose gardens, and bountiful vegetable patches.

Several gardens are presented on three levels of terraces. Starting with the Jardin d’Ornement, a magnificent French-style garden, with sculpted plant and colored forms giving the garden a highly romantic aspect. The twentieth-century water garden features a large mirror pool and secondary pools that perfectly complement this garden of symmetry. The vegetable garden is made up of 9 squares combining flowers and vegetables, playing on their colors to create a multicolored parterre. The sun garden is set on a terrace and comprises three large areas: the children’s room, the sun room and the cloud room, in yellow-orange hues. The Villandry estate also features other natural spaces, such as a labyrinth, an orangery and a woodland.

Domaine de Champ de bataille’s garden

Domaine Champ-de-bataille was acquired by Jacques Garcia in 1992. At the time, this little Versailles in Normandy consisted of vast natural spaces, the ideal location for creating what is now Europe’s largest private garden.

Inspired by the plans of André Le Nôtre, Jacques Garcia created sumptuous and original gardens at Champ de Bataille. During an enchanted stroll, you’ll discover a theater of greenery, splendid fountains, inspirations from Egypt and even India, and a hidden grotto. You’ll never tire of this natural journey, offering a continuous view of the château.

It’s a veritable dreamlike stroll through the immense gardens, taking us on a journey through Jacques Garcia’s imagination at every turn.

Embarking on a voyage through France’s most beautiful gardens is an enchanting experience that unveils the country’s rich heritage, artistic traditions, and mastery of landscape design. From the grandeur of Champ-de-Bataille to the tranquility of Monet’s Giverny, Le French Voyagist’s exploration of these seven extraordinary gardens is sure to leave you inspired and yearning for your own immersive journey into the natural wonders of France.

To discover and visit the most beautiful gardens of France don’t hesitate to contact our Travel Designer and start to create your tailor-made stay in France.