Castle of Villandry, the last built in the Loire valley, known for its large, lush gardens. They are so gorgeous that tourists often recognized: the castle itself is not memorable, all eclipsed gardens.

Although the castle is certainly also worthy of attention. It is built on the spot where once stood the feudal castle of Colombier. In 1189 in the tower of this fortress the French king Philippe-August was negotiating with his enemy – the English king Henry II. The negotiations ended with the signing of a peace Treaty Colombier" in favor of Philip-Augustus. In 1532 the new owner, Jean Le Breton, built a castle here in the style of the French Renaissance, leaving the old Foundation and the donjon tower. Castle different from others here is the fact that they owned no king or his favorite, and a high official – Le Breton was Finance Minister under Francis I, the superintendent during the construction of the château de Chambord, the Ambassador in Rome.

There, in Rome, and he was fond of gardening. Their knowledge applied, built a castle, is at the foot of Le Breton laid gardens, already famous for beyond the valley of the Loire.

In the eighteenth century the estate was sold to the Marquis de Castellane, who rebuilt the house in the neoclassical style, and the gardens were designed in the English spirit. Ownership passed from hand to hand (including have been owned by Napoleon's brother – Jerome Bonaparte). Truly a new life has begun at the castle, when it was bought by Joachim Carvallo.

Spanish physician Carvalho bought Villandry in 1906, when the estate was in decline. Then the owners were going, if no one will buy it lock, to tear it down. Carvalho saved Villandry and since then spend all your money. He returned to the old Renaissance style, not only the building but also the area around.

Spacious "water garden" with swans, surrounded by Linden alleys, sculptural trimmed hedges, four "garden of love"... All these beautiful and fragrant parcels are at different levels (top view, from the castle, is unforgettable). Descendants Carvalho, which is still owned by the estate, continue to develop in 1970, he opened Apothecary garden, and in 2008 – "the garden of the sun on the upper terrace.

But perhaps the favorite among tourists the part of the local areas of the garden. Ornamental flower beds (to call them beds the language is not rotated) nine square plots of garden – a real masterpiece of Villandry. Carefully considered not only the geometric shape, but also combinations of colors forty types of vegetables: PPE leeks, beetroot, jade-green leaves of carrots impress multicolored checkerboard. Decorative cabbage growing near the roses, not inferior to them beauty.

There are working only nine gardeners, and they have enough work: since 2009, the garden was organic – no pesticide use, for the treatment and power plants use natural fertilizing, weeding conduct manually.

In the souvenir shop you can buy seeds of native plants to try to grow the same pumpkin, poppies, forget-me-nots or the ornamental cabbage – it's lovely.