Château de Villandry

We visited four chateaux while in the Loire Valley and would rank them in the following order: Villandry, Chenonceau, Chambord, Amboise. The history of Villandry, its decay and renewal, was very interesting. The best and most obvious part though are the gardens. Meticulously preserved and maintained, they are some of the best we’ve seen in the world. You can easily spend an hour walking outside rain or shine.

We went in late September and I was nervous about the gardens. I should not have been. They were incredible. The fresh cut flowers in the chateau were works if art themselves. The history was also Interesting. And the art exhibit at the end was incredible, I would have bought every piece, if I was as wealth as the people who own chateaus!

If you come for nothing except the gardens, come. This was a stunning display of gardening for design and sustainability. Absolutely fabulous. Clearly the Château is old and requires constant upkeep. However, the art, furnishings, and gardens were just breathtaking. You can really see how people lived there. It was one of the best experiences I had touring the châteaux in France.

Absolutely worth a visit, it's a short drive away from Chenonceau Castle. Unlike many other castles, it is still privately owned by the last family that took possession of the castle in the 20th century about who you can learn more during your visit. The rooms are nicely set, giving you a great glimpse of the life the castle ones boasted. The gardens are a sight in themselves but honestly you get the best view of them from the actual castle!!

The gardens are absolutely stunning. The castle itself is more modern, and I highly recommend watching the introductory video at the entrance to better understand its history.

Stunning gardens, well worth a visit. We cycled to the chateau following the well signposted route along the Loire and Cher with our kids aged 7 and 9. You can buy either a ticket to see the just the gardens or pay extra to see inside the house as well. We opted for the gardens only which felt extensive enough to explore. There is a lot to see from symmetrical flower beds, fountains, a play park and a maze. We even stumbled on a tennis court which had a ball lying on it for a quick game of throw and catch. You can then work your way up the walls to higher than the main chateau building with fabulous views down into the gardens and over the surrounding countryside. There is a small cafe inside but also more options just outside the gate and nearby in the town. Car and bike parking is next to the entrance.

Gorgeous place and pretty big. The gardens are beautiful and very well maintained. It was a lovely walk among them. Lots of grape vines too.

The Chateau is beautifully situated next to the river Cher and rises above it. The interior of the castle is interesting but not very special. Some nice decorated rooms that you can visit via a fixed route. From the donjon, you have great views of the gardens below. Those gardens are the real reason to visit as they are very big and well layd-out. There are many types of gardens, and the kitchen gardens were most interesting as they had a lot of vegetables growing. I have never seen so much lettuce in one place.

To think I almost skipped this! On a recent roadtrip through France, this turned out to be my favorite of the many chateaus that I visited. The entire complex is immaculately maintained, which can't be said for the much more famous Chateau of Versailles. The house itself was not as decadent as others, which made it a bit more relatable. For example, on the upper floor were children's bedrooms. Outside, you could spend hours wandering the famous gardens and taking pictures. From the geometric hedges to the water features to the labyrinth, the entire complex is simply beautiful!

Surprisingly this ended up being my favorite chateau out of our 2 day visit in loire valley. We only toured the Jardin but that alone was still quite lovely. Villandry boasts some of the best, if not the best Jardins in the region. Signage is well posted so you can understand what is being grown and the trimming is immaculate! The castle itself is beautiful, complete with running water in front outside. Definitely worth the visit even though it's in the other direction as compared to the other chateaus. This was also the only chateau we found with free parking, which we appreciated!

Chateau and garden is one of my favorite. This chateau is famous on the very well maintained garden. The chateau was built 1536. This is the actual chateau without castle. It listed as UNESCO world heritage site for their landscape. The chateau has 14 rooms to visit. I like the drawing and study room. It has a grand piano in that room. The office of Joachim Carvallo is the location he plans his vegetable garden. The dining room has a checker board marble floor. The Prince Jerome's bedroom is Napoleons youngest brother. The red silk reflects military lance. There table in front of the bed has decorative surface. The garden is huge. There are total 7 sections. This includes Ornamental, Wood, Water, Sun, Maze, Herb and Vegetable Garden. The ornamental garden is my favorite. This garden has multiple colors. The edge of each tree or bush corner was perfectly trim. Picture perfect. I wish my lawn care company can do this.

A Fantasy garden that will take your breathe away! You need a day here to stroll the grounds, it is beyond extensive. Layers & levels of gardens that seem endless and then there is the Chateau too! It is like walking through heaven on earth. If you see one Chateau in the Loire, this is the ONE to take the time & see, it has the most spectacular gardens I've ever seen! Everyone needs to put this one on their bucket list!

Garden Review Only We visted in late Fall, early November and the gardens were still spectacular. incredible layout and meticulously maintained by 12 caretakers. Hot houses in the back of the property generate all of the seasonal flowers and vegetables. We only toured the gardens per our tour guides suggestion and were not disappointed. Spectacular views and photo opps Very highly recommended Slainte

The amazing grounds are the main reason to come to Villandry & combined w/ the chateau, you're talking the perfect day out. Easy to find and plenty of parking - we opted for the audio tour which provided a very nice history of the house but be forewarned, there are many large organized tour groups there & you may have to jump around a bit to have some quiet while listening to the audio guide Walking outside was where we were overwhelmed ( in a good way ) There are a ton of different gardens ranging from wildflowers to roses, there is a maze, a vegetable garden and lots of groomed topiaries, fountains and shade. Lucky for us since it was fairly warm the day we were there but there was also a nice giftshop that sold gardening supplies & sunhats - something tells me this isn't by accident. Must see when touring the Loire Valley!

If you think only royalty lived in places like Chateau Villandry, it's worth noting that one of the original owners was an American, Anne Coleman! The gardens are of the Chateau Villandry supply fruit, vegetables, and flowers, not only for the chateau, but for the neighborhood and visitors. During the months when they harvest the vegetables, guest are invited to take what is grown in return for a contribution for the grounds; a beautiful and practical way of maintaining the grounds and benefitting the community.

If you're in france, you must drive out and visit this damn castle. It is freaking EPIC. Their garden is LEGENDARYYYYY.

One of the best gardens I have seen! We got the chateau and garden tour. If you ask me, the garden tour is enough; however, if you want an aerial photo of the garden from the chateau, it's worth it I suppose. The gardens are neatly put together and all the bushes are well trimmed and manicures. It can get really hot when walking in the afternoon, but no worries - there are benches in the shade if you need to relax. If you're under 26, make sure you have your ID ready for reduced fare. They weren't too picky on whether you had your ISIC. Just make sure you tell them.

Do not tour gardens when it's hot! Bring an umbrella, go early, wear a hat. Beautiful, amazing gardens! They have interesting maze. The Ornamental Garden tells a story. Awesome view from the hill. They have food to buy outside the entrance, plenty of seats & shades, gift shop for garden lovers, plants, as well as gifts.

On of the must see Chateaus in the Loire region. The beautifully kept 16th century gardens, strolling paths & recently refurbished rooms will keep you entertained for hours. Highlights are the unique Moorish ceiling in the Oriental drawing room, the extensive collection of 17th century Spanish Art, and magnificent panoramic views of the gardens from the rooms-particularly the views from the Vegetable Garden Room & the 'Love Garden' view from the 2nd Flor Children's Room.

Oh I am in love! It's a must! This was my favorite castle on the Loire valley. A beautiful chateau with beautiful manecured gardens. The chateau is so different from the rest and so realistically furnished. Make sure to spend some times in the garden. They are simply exquisite.

Gardens are amazing all year. Don't hesitate to go here we like to have as much as the major chateaus including Chambord

This chateau is a must see when you are touring the area. Just a slight glimpse gives makes you envious and put your own gardening goals to shame. It's absolutely beautiful here, even when my mom and I came during the off season in October on a weekday. A lot of public transportation during the off season is cut back, so double check how you will get to and from this chateau before you head out. We were staying in Blois and took a train to Tours first. Then we picked up a taxi to Villandry. We didn't catch the bus because we didn't want to wait for it. When you enter, you'll right away see a bit of the amazing gardens, but don't be tempted just yet. First look at inside the chateau first because it is worth seeing. The reason you want to see the chateau first is because you will forget what's inside after you step outside and start wandering through the gardens. Inside the chateau is well kept items from the family who lived there and created the gardens and the background if the chateau. My mom and I brought a baguette and cold cuts from a butchery in Blois to have a small picnic. We got to have our lunch in the garden after we walked the inside. We were absolutely in love with the garden. Everything was meticulous! What impressed us the most was the fruit and vegetable garden. Each plant added a different color and depth to each patch and the whole garden was so symmetrical.

Villandry was my favourite Chateau, mainly due to the beautiful gardens. The Chateau is nice, reasonably impressive, suitably castle like and appropriately decorated, however it is the grounds that make the place amazing. The gardens to the side and back are well looked after. It's not the English rose garden you will see, but more being amazed by the vegetable garden that is so colourful and full of life, the complex hedge patterns and the functional yet beautiful grounds. You have to go to this Chateau if you are in the Loire.