PRESS PACK 2018 CONTENTS

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2

VILLANDRY EVENTS 4 Les Rendez-vous aux jardins event 4 Nights of a Thousand Lights 4 European Heritage Days 5 Vegetable Garden Days 5 The Magic of Christmas at Villandry 6 And also... 6

LATEST NEWS 8 The return of Jérôme Bonaparte’s pedestal table 8 Bats at Villandry 8

EXHIBITIONS 10 Anna Filimonova, Villandry at the heart of France’s gardens 10 Marine de Soos, Sculpture exhibition 10 Jean-Yves Bourgain, From Renaissance to renewal 11 Intersecting perspectives. Europe is a land of gardens 11

VILLANDRY, CHÂTEAU AND GARDENS 13 Villandry, from yesterday to today 13 A furnished and living château 14 Evolution of the gardens over the centuries 15 Villandry’s six gardens 16 An eco-friendly cultivation practice 18

DISCOVER VILLANDRY 20 Visit options 20 Villandry as a family 20 With a school group 21

SERVICES 21 Online ticket office 21 Shops 21 La Doulce Terrasse 22

PRACTICAL INFORMATION 23 Rates 23 Opening hours and times 23 Getting there 23 A labelled site 24

PRESS CONTACT 25

1 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

EVENTS EXHIBITIONS

10 YEARS OF THE SUN GARDEN VILLANDRY, AT THE HEART OF THE Conference and guided tour of the Sun garden GARDENS OF FRANCE Friday, 1 June Exhibition of paintings by Anna Filimonova From 7 April to 27 May

RENDEZ-VOUS AUX JARDINS Garden-based activities FROM RENAISSANCE TO RENEWAL Saturday, 2 and Sunday, 3 June 2 Exhibition of paintings by Jean-Yves Bourgain From 2 June to 2 September

DES JARDINS ET HOMMES Show with Patrick Scheyder, Michael Lonsdale and SCULPTURES BY MARINE DE SOOS Allain Bougrain Dubourg Exhibition to discover in the Sun garden Saturday, 16 June From 1 June to 30 September

NIGHTS OF A THOUSAND LIGHTS Gardens illuminated with 2,000 candles, projection mapping and fireworks display Friday, 6 and Saturday, 7 July Friday, 3 and Saturday, 4 August

EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS Artistic craftsmen fair Saturday, 15 and Sunday, 16 September

VEGETABLE GARDEN DAYS Meet the Villandry gardeners, exhibitors’ market and activities Saturday, 29 and Sunday, 30 September

2 VILLANDRY EVENTS VILLANDRY EVENTS

LES RENDEZ-VOUS AUX JARDINS EUROPEAN HERITAGE DAYS Saturday, 2 and Sunday, 3 June Saturday, 15 and Sunday, 16 September

Once again this year, Villandry will be taking part in the To celebrate European Heritage Days, Villandry is giving national Rendez-vous aux jardins campaign, intended to pride of place to the region’s artistic craftsmen, who hold showcase the many public or private parks and gardens expertise that is essential in preserving our heritage. in France, during which visitors are invited to (re)discover An upholsterer/decorator, stone carver, painting restorer, gardens and become aware of the importance of maintaining gilder, carpenter and many others will present their and preserving this heritage. professions and their creations to the public in different Activities will punctuate and enhance your visit throughout rooms of the château. the weekend. Horse-drawn carriage rides, exceptional To enhance these two days, guided tours of the gardens guided tours and many other activities offer different along with horse-drawn carriage rides will also be offered opportunities to roam and appreciate the majesty of to the public. Villandry’s gardens.

Usual rates Château and gardens rates: Adults €8.50 - Young people €6 Activities included in the gardens’ entrance fee Gardens only rates: Adults €5.50 -– Young people €4 Activities included in the château’s entrance fee

NIGHTS OF A THOUSAND LIGHTS VEGETABLE GARDEN DAYS Friday, 6 July, Saturday, 7 July, Saturday, 29 and Sunday, 30 September Friday, 3 August, and Saturday, 4 August While the vegetable garden and the gardens are at their best, An unmissable event at Villandry, the Nights of a Thousand Villandry’s gardeners will go to meet visitors and share their Lights will once again this year be the place to be for lovers know-how and tips with them. Novice or seasoned gardeners of beauty and poetry. Illuminated by the flames of 2,000 will no doubt leave with lots of ideas in their head and candles, the château’s facades and the gardens’ geometric vegetables in their basket. motifs will be revealed in an interplay of light and shadow. This exceptional nighttime opening will offer an opportunity Some twenty exhibitors will also present their products and to stroll Villandry’s paths at nightfall and see them adorned creations inspired by the world of gardens: plants, local in light. Activities, wandering costumed figures, projection produce, decorations, gardening essentials... there will be mapping and a fireworks display will delight young and old something for everyone! alike, who will leave with their heads full of dreams... The Vegetable Garden Days will be an opportunity to have a fun family time, taking part in lots of activities and guided Due to the great success of previous years, this year the tours or strolling through the gardens. Nights of a Thousand Lights will be held over two weekends!

Rates: Usual rates Adults: €12 - Young people: €7.50 Activities included in the gardens’ entrance fee Free for children under 8 years old Food and refreshments available on site throughout the day €6 extra for those who visited the château and/or gardens during the day Tickets available online

4 5 VILLANDRY EVENTS AND ALSO...

THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS AT VILLANDRY DES JARDINS ET DES HOMMES From 22 December 2018 to 6 January 2019 Saturday, 16 June

This year, Villandry will be putting on its finest attire in a In the château’s main courtyard, Mickael Lonsdale, Patrick Scheyder and Allain Bougrain Dubourg (from brand new display. From the warm sitting room with its left to right) invite you to join them for the music of Schubert, Bach and Chopin. wood fire to the family dining room, through the unusual Through stories of gardens told by Gilles Clément, Victor Hugo, Leonardo da Vinci and Pierre Rabhi, you oriental lounge, sumptuous decorations will sweep up will discover the wonderful relationship that ties mankind to nature. Patrick Scheyder’s piano and the young and old alike in the magic of Christmas. sensitive collaboration of the gardeners encourage your thoughts to drift away in a haven of peace and The gardens will also be putting on their winter attire: well-being. Relaxation, beauty and pleasure are on the cards! mosaics of ornamental cabbages and leeks, box tree lacework and the outlines of yew tree topiary, and long avenues of sleepy lime trees are yours to roam and admire.

Storytelling walks and activities await the whole family Rates: throughout the holidays! Adults: €9 - Young people: €6 Tickets available online. Château and gardens rates: Adults €9 - Young people €6 Subject to availability Gardens only rates: Adults €6 - Young people €4 Activities included in the château’s entrance fee

AND ALSO... BAT NIGHT Saturday, 25 August 10 YEARS OF THE SUN GARDEN To mark the 22nd year of International Bat Night, LPO Touraine and the château de Villandry will welcome 200 Friday, 1 June curious guests for an unusual evening discovering these fascinating animals. Ten years ago, Henri Carvallo made his great-grandfather’s On the programme: activities for young and old alike, confe- dream come true, adding the final garden – the sun garden rence and walks at nightfall, following in the tracks of – to Villandry. Created on the basis of drawings by Joachim Villandry’s colony of greater mouse-eared bats. Carvallo dating from 1924, the Sun garden has found its place on the highest terrace of the gardens, a symbolic location Free event organised by LPO Touraine for a garden dedicated to the stars. Louis Benech, architect/ Sign up to take part landscape gardener, and Alix de Saint-Venant, botanist and landscape gardener, were entrusted with creating this haven of greenery and have successfully adapted the initial design to the site and the current context while maintaining the original concept. In three successive gardens, 10,000 grasses, perennials, flowers and rose bushes lead visitors on a dreamlike THE TOURAINE-LOIRE VALLEY MARATHON stroll along paths bordered with shades of blue and white or Sunday, 23 September orange and red-toned hues. This year, the Sun Garden is celebrating the 10th anniversary Villandry will host the next Touraine-Loire Valley Marathon, of its creation, an occasion to invite the curious and garden a race that is becoming increasingly popular since it lovers to Villandry on 1 June. A conference and visit will offer an first began. The runners will discover the gardens of opportunity to meet the different players and artists behind this Villandry and do a lap of the vegetable garden before project and discover the creative process and how the Villandry heading off again towards Tours. Visitors will enjoy an gardens have been preserved for over a hundred years. unusual sight and the vegetable garden will offer a front-row seat to the event! Usual rates Activities included in the gardens’ entrance fee

6 7 LATEST NEWS

THE RETURN OF PRINCE JEROME’S PEDESTAL

The younger brother of Emperor Napoleon I, Prince Jérôme was the owner of Villandry for several years in the early 19th century. He infused the château with a modern aesthetic, furnishing it in the First Empire style. Among the pieces he introduced is a pedestal table crafted by the cabinetmaker Jacob-Desmalter, veneered with mahogany and featuring a tabletop decorated with ten Wedgwood-style porcelain medallions produced by the Manufacture de Sèvres. Crippled with debts, Prince Jérôme was forced to part with Villandry; the furniture was handed over with the estate. The pedestal table then remained in the château for almost a century. Safeguarding the French art of living and know-how across the centuries, Villandry wishes to offer its visitors a new perspective on the château’s interiors by acquiring works and pieces that have been part of its history. To enable the return of this pedestal table, offered for sale in a Paris gallery, the château de Villandry launched a crowdfunding campaign in summer 2017. Thanks to individual donations along with the generosity of the Mécénat Touraine Entreprise association, you can now admire this exceptional piece of furniture in Joachim Carvallo’s study.

BATS AT VILLANDRY

Following the discovery of a colony of bats in the château’s attics in 2013, the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) and Villandry joined forces in 2016 for a scientific and mediation project. It was an opportunity to deepen our knowledge of this endangered spe- cies and raise the general public’s awareness of the importance of preserving it. A colony of 70 greater mouse-eared bats has chosen Villandry as its summer home: the females come to give birth there and raise their single yearly offspring. Infrared cameras have been set up on THE GREATER MOUSE-EARED BAT the framework to be able to observe the behaviour of this colony, in residence from April to October. Footage and activities led by Scientific name: Myotis myotis the LPP are offered to schoolchildren in particular. The colony left Size: 6.5 – 8.5 cm Villandry in October and will return next spring, after a period of Wing span: 35 – 45 cm hibernation in dark cavities. The renewal of the partnership will Weight: 20 – 45 g Brown/red dorsal coat, white/beige allow us to learn even more about the behaviour of chiroptera and abdomen carry out new awareness-raising actions among the public to let them discover the life of the colony.

Since 2012, the château de Villandry has been wor- king alongside Touraine LPO to preserve biodiver- sity, becoming a «Refuge LPO». Almost 90 spe- cies of birds can be observed on the site, including blackbirds, great tits, chaffinches, robin redbreasts and housemartins, to name just a few. A presence that is sure to delight ornithologists and bird lovers! Eurasian blue tit Robin

8 EXHIBITIONS EXHIBITIONS

ANNA FILIMONOVA JEAN-YVES BOURGAIN VILLANDRY AT THE HEART OF FRANCE’S FROM RENAISSANCE TO RENEWAL From 7 April to 27 May From 2 June to 2 September A Russian artist who graduated from St Petersburg Fine Arts School and has been based in France for Every spring is a rebirth, every renewal needs roots over 20 years, Anna Filimonova holds a special fond- and seeds to flourish. The Renaissance period ness for gardens. She tirelessly makes her way through understood this only too well, turning to the arts the gardens of France, finding them to be an inexhaustible and myths of Antiquity to fuel its own renewal. source of inspiration. In her paintings, she looks to convey the soul of the places and the atmosphere of The splendour of forms and the delicacy of co- their gardens. The châteaux of France, each boasting a lours unfolded like spring in this still fertile ground. rich history with facades marked by the centuries and To express the sweetness of life and its worries, human activity, can be gently discovered through the painters adopted and continue to adopt eter- painter’s admiring eye. nal themes. They continue to express the same A great friend of Villandry for many years, Anna Filimonova expectation among the vagaries of the human Le jardin des Simples, les Ifs has become the dynamic ambassadress of our condition, the same hope of continuity and eternal Ariane endormie return, the same faith in the power of spring. Touraine gardens and châteaux in Russia. She works to bring our two countries closer together and show- cases their cultural and artistic heritage through her projects and paintings alike. Jean-Yves Bourgain, a painter first and foremost but also involved in the heritage sphere through his scien- tific expertise and the conservation of wall paintings, draws his sources of inspiration from his culture. When We will have the pleasure of welcoming her to Villandry for the first exhibition of our 2018 cultural season, he revisits the themes and motifs from Antiquity or the Renaissance, he seeks to reconcile a contemporary with a series of paintings inspired by French gardens and Villandry in particular. Her works will echo the pictorial technique with our artistic heritage, recreating a harmony of colours and forms to offer a contem- colourful flower beds and what better season than spring to stroll through the gardens? plation that escapes the everyday.

MARINE DE SOOS INTERSECTING PERSPECTIVES SCULPTURE EXHIBITION Europe is a land of gardens From 1 June to 30 September From 1 September to 11 November in the sun garden Thanks to cooperation between our region and Where do we get this feeling that the figures sculp- Saxony-Anhalt, the Association des Parcs et Jardins ted by Marine de Soos are suspended? And that with en Région Centre (APJRC) and Gartentraüme are them the course of time is suspended in its inexorable joining forces to offer a photo exhibition that ap- trajectory? Her figures unintentionally order us to stop. proaches gardens from a specific angle – the simila- Strangely, we can only obey. They do so with such rity between two distant provincial sites. gentleness in their gestures, which nonetheless are not Some twenty photos of French and German parks Le Pousseur de Lune Roseburg Castle addressed to us... They are entirely absorbed in what and gardens invite you to roam through iconic and they are doing, even if they are doing nothing. diverse settings that are similar to one another and On crossing their path, our gaze rests on them and on us. And all this seems self-evident. Looking at them gain a better understanding of the history of art of is a bit like meditating. Marine de Soos makes her sculptures do for us what nature has always done for her. European gardens. Over and above the style and Bring meaning and gentleness when the absurd and the brutal get the upper hand. Her sculptures restore landscaping, the place of the designer underpins us to our most archaic selves. It is for this reason that – despite appearances, despite their Asian or African this approach, showing his passion in designing his features – her figures do not come from elsewhere or from another country, but rather from the most intimate work. country – our own, the one of which we are made and that cannot be mapped. «I’m from my childhood like I’m from a country,» Saint Exupéry said.

Almost everywhere, a line, sometimes more, runs through the figure. They tell us, as do the arrows traced outwards, that sculpture is an expanding form, a sort of miniature world. Movement, again and again, that The project has received a European will extend the radiant pathways of the Sun garden all summer long. Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 label.

Château de Villandry

10 11 CASTLE AND GARDENS

VILLANDRY PAST AND PRESENT The incredible story of a rebirth

IN THE MIDDLE AGE a fortress was built. It was VERY EARLY IN THE 20th CENTURY Everything here in the keep in 1189 that the «Paix de Colom- changed in 1906. Joachim Carvallo, of Spanish bier « was signed, in which Henry II Plantagenet, origin, and his American wife Ann Coleman bought King of England, came before the King of France, the site. This marked a turning point, for them and Philippe Auguste, to acknowledge defeat. for the castle: Joachim and his wife gave up their career in science, converted to the Catholic faith DURING THE RENAISSANCE Jean le Breton, and devoted their fortune to restoring the monu- Finance minister under King Francis I, bought the ment. estate in 1532 and in 1536, on the site of the old fortress, built a Renaissance castle, although the keep remained. The architectural style of the Renaissance castle was a precursor of Anet and Fontainebleau and later became the Henri IV style.

FROM THE CLASSICAL PERIOD TO THE 20th CENTURY In the 18th century, the property came into the hands of the Marquis de Castellane who wished to bring it up to the levels of comfort in vogue at the time and therefore had a number of modifications made to both the interior and the exterior. The castle remained in the family until the Revolution, but then had a succession of owners from a wide range of horizons, who took little interest in its The château in the early 20th century future, or indeed its upkeep. At the same time, the gardens were also altered in line with the cur- Joachim was a cultivated man, with a passion for rent trend for all things English: the Renaissance botany, architecture and Spanish art. In the first kitchen garden was destroyed to transform the few years, the couple concentrated on restoring whole estate into a large, English-style park. the stones, and gradually the place recovered its soul… But very soon (in around 1908), Joachim Carvallo began to restore the castle to its Renais- sance style, which meant bringing back the Renaissance garden in the place of the romantic English park. And so began the great adventure of restoring the grounds by recreating the four levels of terraces and each of the gardens: the decorative vegetable garden, the garden rooms and the water garden.

Today his great-grand-son, Henri Carvallo, heads Villandry.

Joachim Carvallo and Ann Coleman in 1899

13 CASTLE AND GARDENS CASTLE AND GARDENS

A LIVING AND FURNISHED CASTLE A FOCUS ON THE GARDENS OVER THE CENTURIES

The castle often suffers in the shadow of its magnificent gardens… And yet it is really worth 16th CENTURY This was when the Renaissance castle a visit! The castle is a friendly, welcoming family was built by Jean le Breton. Thanks to archaeological place, in which visitors can easily see themselves, digs, we know today that there was a decorative vege- and where it is pleasant to just wander round. table garden at the time, right next to the castle, such as those you can see in the illustrations of the Plus Excel- lents bâtiments de France, a work by Jacques Androuet du Cerceau, a brilliant Renaissance architect. This conviction was consolidated by the recent discovery of an 18th century blueprint which proves the existence of two terraces, one cultivated as a vegetable garden and The kitchen the other as an ornamental garden. Plan of Villandry in the late 17th century

Today there are some fifteen rooms to visit, each 18th CENTURY At this time, Villandry became the property of the Marquis de Castellane who, from 1760 one different from the next, furnished in a har- onwards, extended the gardens begun in the 16th century. For this, he bought plots of land from the vil- monious style and decorated with taste. Visitors lagers extending right up to the church. He thus created a fine classic French style garden. A third level will no doubt enjoy the fact that fresh flowers are of terraces was added to the vegetable garden – situated between the church and the castle, and the The dining room placed in all the rooms. ornamental garden. On this last terrace, he created a pond in the shape of a Louis XV looking glass. The tour ends with the Oriental room, which leaves no one indiffe- rent for the beauty of its imposing ceiling. The Oriental room was restored from floor to ceiling. The latter, 19th CENTURY The property then fell into the hands of the in Mudejar style, dates back to the 15th century. Originating from Hainguerlot family, and the gardens underwent considerable Toledo, it is made up of over 3,600 pieces of wood. In addition to change: they were transformed into a romantic English style the aesthetic and technical prowess that it represents, the ceiling is park. This type of grounds became fashionable in the late 19th a magnificent testimony to the cultural and religious syncretism in century under the impulse of the Romantic Movement, and Spain after the restoration of Christianity which lasted from 718 to required much less maintenance than a French style garden. 1492: you can see the famous scallop shells, Franciscan knot and It was presumably for both these reasons that the Hainguerlot The Moorish ceiling the eight-pointed Arabic star. family decided to change to a landscape of winding paths, curves and clusters of trees and shrubs.

The grounds in 1860

The Spanish painting collection EARLY 20th CENTURY Between 1908 and 1918, The château de Villandry presents a magnificent collection the new owner of Villandry, Joachim Carvallo devoted of mainly Spanish works dating from the 17th century, the himself to restoring the Renaissance gardens. Why golden age of Iberian painting. This collection was initial- did he do this? Because he believed that the Renais- ly compiled by Joachim Carvallo. Incidentally, it was the sance castle – which he restored to its original beauty scope of this collection that made him decide to buy – should have the right gardens. Villandry: he wanted to display his treasures there. The art gallery He therefore set about gathering the necessary infor- Following donations and settlements, certain paintings in mation: first he led archaeological digs in the gardens the collection have left Villandry, particularly for national and found the vestiges of base walls and pipes which museums such as the Louvre or the Prado. enabled him to re-site the decorative vegetable gar- View of the gardens in 1919 den. Then he consulted two important literary sources The current owner, Henri Carvallo, is keen to rebuild this in particular: Les Plus Excellents bâtiments de France AND TODAY... collection by repurchasing works that were part of Joa- and the Monasticon Gallicanum which gave him an The gardens have once again been extended chim Carvallo and Ann Coleman’s original collection, such idea of what Renaissance gardens were like. with the creation of the Sun Garden in 2008. as Young shepherd with his goats, a painting by Monsù He also consulted old blueprints, like that of the Mar- This was created on a fourth terrace, from a Bernardo dating from the 17th century, acquired in 2017. quis de Castellane and the Napoleonic land registry, sketch left by Joachim Carvallo. Monsù Bernardo, Young shepherd with his goats which helped him in his quest.

14 15 CASTLE AND GARDENS CASTLE AND GARDENS

THE SIX GARDENS AT VILLANDRY THE HERB GARDEN, just like the vegetable garden, supplies all the plants necessary for family life: me- dicinal plants, aromatic plants and herbs.

There are a total of six gardens at Villandry. The Villandry gardens are laid out in a succession of terraces, THE MAZE, with its long, winding paths, but containing no difficult pitfalls, symbolises man progressing and each garden has its own strong identity and aesthetic principles: serenely and smoothly towards God.

Finally, on the last level, you can enjoy THE SUN GARDEN. The most recent of the gardens, the sun gar- den, is a place to dream and get away from it all. The plants are cleverly placed in a delightful impression of disorder, which of course is only an impression. 80 years after the completion of the gardens, Henri Carvallo made news at Villandry in 2008 by creating the Sun Garden. He commissioned the design – from a sketch by his ancestor Joachim – and the creation to Louis Benech and Alix de Saint-Venant. The Sun Garden observes the same general principles of organisation in all the gardens at Villandry and forms a cloister of greenery, with lime trees and hornbeam, and comprises three rooms: The sun room, the central part of the garden, where there is a pond in the shape of the sun, the eight-point star designed by Joachim Carvallo, and beds of perennials in various hues of orange. The cloud room where the grassy paths form triangles winding in and out of the roses and blue- hued shrubs. Aerial view of the kitchen garden The ornamental rooms The children’s room with open-air games and crab apple trees.

At the lowest level is THE DECORATIVE VEGETABLE GARDEN, which has to feed the household, but not just in any old manner: it has to be quite simply magnificent as it is situated just next to the castle. Made up of nine squares of identical size but with different motifs inside, it covers an area of almost one hectare. There are two planting schemes per year: the spring scheme from March to June and the summer one from July to October.

On the intermediary level are THE ORNAMENTEL ROOMS designed as outside reception rooms: these are a natural extension of the castle rooms and are planted with tall boxwoods and flowers whose motifs are the timeless subjects of conversation: love, music and religion.

On the third level are the water garden, the herb garden and the maze. The sun room THE WATER GARDEN, surrounding a fine pond intended to be the mirror reflecting the sky, is designed as a place for meditation. It is also a marvellous water reserve for watering the gardens. LAWN TENNIS WIMBLEDON STYLE

The old tennis court in the gardens of Villandry was re- novated in the spring of 2010 in the pure Wimbledon style. The gardeners have once again shown proof of their skill and today you can admire an almost unique spot in France: a splendid «high tech» lawn tennis court, which every month, is de-thatched, reseeded, mown and relined. In addition to the joy it gives to tennis players of all levels, the spot also reveals another aspect of the The Herb Garden gardens: as a place for games and competition, with a sporting attitude to boot. The spot is visible to the public and is open to experienced and amateur players during The Water Garden some of our events. The tennis court

16 17 CASTLE AND GARDENS CASTLE AND GARDENS

THE WEEDING A TURNING POINT: GOING ORGANIC IN THE GARDENS We no longer use glyphosate or any other anti-germinating treatment. The whole site is weeded tradi- tionally with tools such as wheel-mounted hoes and harrows… and some very patient gardeners! This Since his arrival at Villandry in 2009, the head gardener, Laurent year we are experimenting with thermal weed control and a natural weedkiller based on acetic acid. Portuguez, has had one thing in mind: to make the magnificent For lawns: scarification removes straggly growth and the use of Verti-drain aerates the soil, improving Villandry gardens organic. the quality of the lawns and encouraging faster growth without chemical treatment. The green waste management is outsourced to a specialised company which has a composting The first efforts focussed on the kitchen gardens, where the centre. working methods have been entirely rethought, with the motto “observe to anticipate and anticipate to avoid using chemical treatments”. For the team of gardeners, this is no mean task: in addition to a new work organisation, certain tools have appeared in the sheds, and each gardener has to keep a close watch on all the plants to prevent pests and diseases. Laurent Portuguez, Villandry’s head gardener

Here are a few concrete examples of what has been done since 2009 in the gardens:

STOP PESTICIDES All pesticides have been eliminated from the gardens and replaced either by parasitic or predatory auxiliaries or by nematodes, which feed on diptera larvae (flies, etc.). For example, native predators of the lime might have been intro- duced following the recommendations of the university technology and skills transfer unit Innophyt specialising in organic methods of gardeners work full time to maintain the gardens; an apprentice Compagnon du devoir preventing the spread of lime mite, which cause discoloration and 10 artisan completes the team. It is strengthened in the summer by interns to undertake, leaf fall in the lime trees in the Villandry gardens. These natural pre- among other things, the manual weeding work. Young people with disability service dators are being introduced in controlled conditions so that they company regularly take part in the garden work. eventually become permanent residents of the gardens. Finally, since we have stopped using chemical insecticides, insects hitherto naturally present have started to come back in the kitchen garden, and many of the natural enemies of aphids (green or black kms of boxwood are pruned twice a year; in May and Augsut. About 300 hours are fly), such as syrphus flies, green lacewings, and parasitic wasps, are present and are at work to attack 52 required just to prune the small box hedges in the kitchen gardens. these pests. In addition, four beehives were installed on the south terraces of the gardens in spring 2010. flower and vegetable plants are planted out in the kitchen gardens or the THE NATURAL FUNGICIDES 115 000 gardens rooms. About half the plants are prepared by the gardeners int At the same time, we are fighting against fungus borne leaf diseases without using synthetic treat- the castle glasshouses (seeds are sown and seedlings planted out, etc.) ments: by stimulating the natural defences of roses, vines and fruit trees with treatments using mi- nerals, trace elements, essential oils, slurry and decoctions to strengthen the plants and make them more resistant to disease. planting schemes each year, established aesthetic and agronomic criterias : one from 2 March to June and the other from July to September. THE ORGANIC FERTILIZATION Chemical fertilisation has been eliminated and has now been replaced by organic fertilisation, in the form of compost comprising a variety of granules supplying nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. lime trees spread all over the property are pruned every winter. This takes a team All the fertilisers can be used in organic farming but require several targeted applications as and when 1016 of four men two months to complete, i.e. 1,100 hours of work, in addition to the needed to avoid the soil becoming impoverished. 400 hours of work to prune the vines, roses bushes, pear and apple trees. The elimination of the chemical fertilization was with few changes: - Changes in growing methods: multi-tined spades are now used to preserve the activity of the bacteria contained in the tope 10 to 15 centimetres of soil. Unlike ordinary digging, it avoids bu- topiary yews, pruned twice a year, in June for the first ornamental room, and in Oc- rying this microscopic life 30cm under the surface. Hoeing is also done more frequently to make the 162 tober for the second one. watering more efficient. - Changes in the choice of plants: introduction of plants, seeds and growing composts with “organic farming” certification. So the spring and summer planting schemes are now fully organic.

18 19 DISCOVER VILLANDRY DISCOVER VILLANDRY

VISIT OPTIONS WITH A SCHOOL GROUP

To discover Villandry with their pupils, tea- VISITOR GUIDES FOR THE CHÂTEAU AND GARDENS allow you to discover Villandry chers can choose to visit the château and at your own pace. gardens on their own or enjoy a guided Plan around 2 hours to visit the château and gardens tour of the gardens given by a guide/leader. French, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Russian and Czech According to school year, workshops are also offered to become familiar with herbs, AUDIOGUIDES FOR THE CHÂTEAU AND GARDENS are available for individual learn about symmetry or get acquainted with visitors and groups; gardening techniques and managing a garden Adults: French, English, German, Italian, Spanish in an eco-friendly way. Children: French

GUIDED TOURS OF THE CHÂTEAU are available for individual visitors from 10 March to 11 November 2018 (except for Sundays from May to September and during certain Workshops to discover Villandry’s bat colony are also available, led by a guide from LPO Touraine, along weekend events). with illuminated manuscript workshops supervised by professionals from the Institut Européen d’Enlumi- In French only – approximately 1 hr 15 nures in Angers. Groups can enjoy guided tours in English and Polish on reservation. To prepare their visit, teachers can download an educational file and pupil worksheets from the web-

The VILLANDRY SMARTPHONE APPLICATION can be downloaded free from the Informations and reservations : 02 47 50 02 09 – [email protected] AppleStore and Playstore. It offers additional content during the visit or quite simply allows you to discover Villandry at home. French, English, German, Italian and Spanish. SERVICES VILLANDRY AS A FAMILY ONLINE TICKET OFFICE Keen to offer the best welcome to all visitors, Vil- A children’s play area Continuing on from Villandry opened an online ticket office during the 2016 season for easier access to the site. Entrance landry pays particular attention to family visits. the Sun garden, this space dedicated to tickets to the gardens and château can be purchased online directly from Villandry’s website. children offers a moment of relaxation for Interpretation stations In the gardens, young and old. A well-deserved rest after the Entrance tickets for the Nights of a Thousand Lights and the «Des Jardins et des Hommes» show can also seven interpretation stations allow children visit! be purchased online. and parents alike to gain a better understan- ding of plants, gardens, and water manage- Various storytelling walks and activities ment in gardens, as well as how the site and are also offered during certain events and THE SHOPS landscape have evolved over the centuries. holidays. At Villandry, visitors can take advantage of two «Le sortilège de Jean le Breton» games shops: booklet Notebook in hand, children set for- th into the gardens, go through the forest, The gardener’s shop offers products more get lost in the maze, explore the vegetable focused on the garden: decorative objects, garden and the love gardens to free the châ- books, plants, clothing, gardening tools, etc. teau de Villandry’s builder from an evil spell! In French – for 7 to 12 year olds The château shop allows you to find lots of souvenirs of your visit to Villandry: cards, The maze of charms, created at the begin- books and guides, souvenir objects and gifts, ning of the 20th century, will amuse families storybooks on nature, children’s games, etc. who are not looking to find the exit but reach the central lookout point. A storytelling walk in the gardens

20 21 SERVICES PRATICAL INFORMATIONS

LA DOULCE TERRASSE RATES Restaurant and tearoom CHÂTEAU AND GARDENS GARDENS ONLY (2h minimum) (1h minimum) Ideally located at the entrance to the château, La From THE A LA CARTE MENU, visitors can enjoy Doulce Terrasse offers seasonal cuisine inspired by «tartines» served with a beautiful salad of edible ADULTS € 11 € 7 the kitchen garden. herbs and flowers, quiches, pastries and home- YOUTH* € 7 € 5 All the menu is prepared from regional produce, made desserts. accompanied by the wines of the Loire Valley. An GROUPS** € 8,50 € 5,50 inviting menu in which the presence of spices and La Doulce Terrasse also has a children’s menu and culinary or aromatic plants will surprise you! a baby menu. Free for children under 8 years Visitors in a hurry can try our TAKEAWAY SNACK - BAR, for a tasty meal on the go! In addition to a (*) Young people aged 8 to 18, students under 26 years with up to date cards wide range of homemade ice creams, traditional, (**) Group : minimum of 15 paying visitors / 2 free tickets per group original sandwiches, crêpes and fresh drinks are - served at all times of the day. Pass gardens one year : € 25

Visitors can also purchase an all-inclusive pac- kage, comprising entry to the site and a meal (re- servation only). OPENING TIMES TO GET THERE Non-stop service from 9:30am to 7pm THE MENU offers a choice between three seaso- Open from 19 March to 11 November CHÂTEAU To get here: now, with the A85 motorway, Vil- nal starters, meat or fish from the local market, a landry is just half an hour from Chenonceau! Booking/Informations : st vegetarian dish, a platter of goat’s cheeses of va- From 1 to 7 January………………. 09:30am – 04:30pm 02 47 50 02 10 – [email protected] If you’re coming from Paris : rying ripeness, and a choice of three desserts. www.restaurantladoulceterrasse.fr From 8 January to 9 February……... Closed From 10 to 28 Frebruary…..……….. 09:00am – 05:00pm By car (240 Km) : A10 junction 24 (Joué- lès-Tours) then A85, towards Saumur, From 1st au 31 March……………..... 09:00am – 05:30pm junction 8 (Villandry) From 1st April to 30 June…………… 09:00am – 06:00pm By train : from Montparnasse station st Room rental and caterer From 1 July to 31August………….. 09:00am – 06:30pm (55mn) then take a taxi from Tours or st From 1 to 30 September…………. 09:00am – 06:00pm Saint-Pierre-des-Corps station(20mn) st For a number of years, the Marquis de Castellane room has been available for hire by companies, where From 1 to 27 October……….……. 09:00am – 05:30pm they can enjoy the magical setting of the gardens for their seminars and business meals. From 28 October to 11 November... 09:00am – 05:00pm If you’re coming from Nantes : The orangeries are also available for gala evenings for example. From 12 November to 21 December Closed By car : A11 then A85 junction 8 (Villandry) From 22 to 31December…………... 09:30am – 05:00pm By train : TER (90min) then take a taxi from Tours or Saint-Pierre-des-Corps sta- GARDENS tion(20mn) From 1st January to 9 February..….. 09:00am – 05:00pm If you’re coming from Tours : From 10 to 28 Frebruary…………… 09:00am – 05:30pm By public transport : the «Fil Bleu» shuttle runs every day From 1st au 31 March…………….... 09:00am – 06:00pm And...by bike ! Follow the « Loire à Vélo » From 1st April to 30 September...…. 09:00am – 07:00pm route (15 Km) From 1st to 27 October…………….. 09:00am – 06:30pm From 28 October to 11 November... 09:00am – 05:30pm From 12 November to 21 December 09:00am – 05:00pm From 22 to 31December…………... 09:00am – 05:30pm The Marquis de Castellane room The Orangeries

Booking/Informations: 02 47 50 02 10 – [email protected]

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A SITE WITH CERTIFICATIONS

THE «QUALITÉ TOURISME» ACCREDITATION Since 2006, Villandry had been part of a discussion on quality in the Loire Valley, conducted together with a number of tourist sites in the region and the Touraine Departmental Tourist Board. Villandry Castle and two other sites in Indre-et-Loire received their certification at the end of 2009. Since then a num- ber of other sites have joined us… Quality accreditations are progressing and becoming well established in the Loire Valley! In 2015, the Château de Villandry was awarded a renewal of the Qualité Tou- risme accreditation for three years.

OTHERS DISTINCTIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

With the help of the Touraine Departmental Tourist Board, Villandry has been working hard since 2009 to make its château and gardens accessible to all members of the public. In recognition of its efforts to welcome people with mental, physical and visual disabilities, it was awarded “Tourisme & Handicap” PRESS CONTACT status in 2015.

The gardens have been awarded the «Refuge LPO» certification by the League for the Protection of Birds Guillaumette Mourain in 2013. Villandry is the first castle to obtain this label. [email protected] Tél. 02 47 50 02 09 The gardens were acknowledged by the «Loire à Vélo» association in 2009.

In 2005 the gardens were designated by UNESCO as an «Ambassador Site» for the Loire Valley, and placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

In 2004 the gardens were awarded the «Jardin Remarquable» certification by the Culture and Commu- nication Ministry.

TripAdvisor is the greatest travel review site listing no less than 35 million different points of views about hotels, restaurants, attractions, museums... In 2015, Villandry was awarded the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2015. It ranks second among the castles of the Loire just behind Chenonceau.

The chateau and the gardens were listed as a «Historic Monument» in 1934 and are founder members of the «Demeure Historique», an association of the owners of private listed monuments.

Photos credits : © Château et jardins de Villandry ; © Philippe Paillet ; © Sandra Daveau ; ©Anna Filimonova ; © JM de Pas ; © Jean-Yves Bourgain ; © D. Darrault ; © J Gillard Vincent ; © Alexis Courraud ; © Images in Air ; © Natacha Griffaut ; © LPO Touraine ; © P. Brault

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