Explore the “Garden of France”

Vegetable and ornamental gardens are part of Touraine’s identity, which has been nicknamed the “Garden of France” since the Renaissance. Enjoy a green escape immersed in the Loire’s gentle way of life with our selection of gardens.

A garden to... declare your love: château and gardens of Villandry
A garden for... declaring your love: the gardens of the Château de Villandry
Listed “Remarkable Gardens”, these 20th-century gardens were inspired by the Renaissance and designed by Joachim Carvallo. They are laid out in terraces at the foot of the castle. One of the gardens is nicknamed the “Jardin d’Amour” (garden of love). Inspired by Andalusia, its structure evokes different aspects of love: passion, tenderness, unfaithful and tragic.
DON’T MISS
- “Rendez-vous au Jardin”: garden-themed activities from 2 to 4 June
- “The Nights of a Thousand Lights”: candlelit gardens, activities and fireworks on 7 and 8 July and 4 and 5 August
- “Vegetable Garden Day”: meet Villandry’s gardeners, activities and farmers’ market on 30 September and 1 October
3 rue principale, Villandry
A garden for... time travel: the Prieuré Saint-Cosme
A garden for... travelling back in time: Prieuré Saint-Cosme
Home to the famous poet Ronsard, this 12th-century priory has a garden filled with his beloved roses. They add a touch of fragrance to the various areas: fragrant garden, pergola, large orchard/flower garden and monks’ vegetable garden. The latter showcases vegetables grown in monasteries during the Middle Ages, such as root vegetables, legumes and herbs, used as condiments instead of salt. Go on a journey back in time with numerous cultural and fun activities throughout the year.
Rue Ronsard in La Riche
A garden to... enjoy: Bourdaisière chateau
A garden for... treating yourself: Château de la Bourdaisière
As you pass through the castle gates, you will discover a Garden of Eden with over 700 varieties of ancient tomatoes, 70 fruit trees and 400 varieties of dahlias. From mid-April, you can visit the tomato bar (Bar à tomates©), where you can try different juices and dishes of the day made using ingredients from the castle’s vegetable garden.
DON’T MISS
- Draw me your planet” exhibition trail (inspired by The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry): until 31 October
- Tomato Festival: 9 and 10 September
- Forest and Wood Festival: 14 and 15 October
25 rue de la Bourdaisière, Montlouis-sur-Loire
Gardens of Rivau chateau
A garden for... immersing yourself in a fairy tale: Château du Rivau
The former residence of King Charles VII, this medieval castle immerses visitors in a fairy tale where contemporary art and remarkable gardens naturally go together. It features 16 extraordinary gardens, each inspired by tales: the kitchen garden, the enchanted forest, Rapunzel’s garden and Alice’s maze. They combine botanical collections, games and monumental artistic creations in synergy with the environment.
DON’T MISS
- “Garden Experience Tour”: discover new ways of gardening to adapt to climate change between May and July (booking required)
- “Nature & Garden Tour”: discover the gardens between May and August (booking required)
- “Pumpkin Festival”: activities and shows on 10 September
9 rue du Château, Lémeré
Domaine de Chaumont greenhouse
A garden for... looking ahead: Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire
The Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire has become a must-visit in the art and garden world. Each year it hosts the International Garden Festival. From 25 April to 5 November 2023, the festival’s theme, “Resilient Garden”, questions our ability to anticipate, act, bounce back and reduce the vulnerabilities of gardens in the face of a changing climate.
Domaine Régional de Chaumont-sur-Loire in Chaumont-sur-Loire, France
Prébende garden
Gardens for… walking in Tours
The city of Tours is brimming with “green bubbles”, where you can take a stroll. The Jardin des Prébendes, a listed “Remarkable Garden”, stands out for its design by Eugène Bühler, a renowned European landscape architect. Garden fans will also love the two-hundred-year-old ginkgo in the Jardin Botanique and the Lebanese cedar planted by Napoleon in 1804 in the Jardin du Musée des Beaux-Arts, both listed as “Remarkable Trees”. Less well-known is the unexpected Jardin des Vikings, housing the remains of the Gallo-Roman wall built in the 4th century when Tours was still called Caesarodunum.
For more information: tours.fr
Château and gardens of Villandry
The Château de Villandry is a unique example of Renaissance architecture and gardens. Six sumptuous gardens await you: the vegetable garden, the ornamental garden, the water garden, the medicinal plant garden, the labyrinth and the sun garden. The château boasts 18th-century interiors and a collection of antique Spanish paintings.
Château du Rivau - Adults
Just 10km from Chinon, Le Rivau offers an enchanted interlude in the heart of History, Art and Nature. Far from a visit to a château or traditional garden, Le Rivau takes you on an astonishing journey to the heart of extraordinary gardens...

Here, all the senses are awakened: 500 varieties of fragrant roses, an extraordinary kitchen garden whose vegetables can be enjoyed in the château's restaurant, monumental works of art in the gardens and in the château. There are also treasure hunts and costumes for children, a tearoom, a locavore restaurant, a gourmet restaurant, exhibitions and hammocks for adults. You'll find it hard to leave...

Since 2020, a Garden Escape Game has also been on offer.