Dee_Dee

My cousin and I will be in the Loire for 7 nights staying in Chinon. I am an avid gardener. I plan on visiting Villandry, of course. I have read about the Castle and Garden Le Rivau. Has anyone visited this? Your thoughts or comments?

Would anyone have other suggestions?

denisea

We loved Chenonceau. All the gardens were beautiful but we really loved the chateau vegetable garden (that also had flowers and some of the biggest dahlias I have ever seen). I am so glad to have gone there and would recommend it.

nytraveler

What time of year - obviously this can make a difference.

Be sure to go to at least one of the evening son et lumiere shows they perform at a few of the larger chateaux - definitely well worth it. Just be aware that they start fairly late (after dinner) due to the late sunsets in the summer.

Michael

I believe that Chaumont has an annual theme-based garden competition.

Michael

Too far for you, but Apremont-sur-Allier has a large English style garden open to the public.

Sarastro

Orléans has a very nice public garden. Château Cheverny has very interesting grounds. Of particular interest might be the Apprentice Garden because of its history and how it evolved.

The garden competition at Chaumont would be important to visit for any serious gardener.

Virtually all of the largest châteaux have interesting gardens.

Dee_Dee

denisea, we are definitely going to Chenonceau. I don't remember seeing the vegetable garden when I was there some 20 years ago. I will spend more time in the gardens and find those vegetables!

My apologies nytraveler. I should have stated we will be there the last week of July along with the hoards of other tourists. Not sure about the son et lumiere shows. I'm an early riser and early to bed at my age. If I were to stay awake, which show near Chinon would you recommend?

Michael, I just checked out past photos of the Chaumont competition and Apremont-sur-Allier. Wow! I would love to see them but it looks like they are too far from our rental for day trips. Sigh....

Dee_Dee

Sarastro, I have read about the hounds and the interior of Cheverny but not the gardens. I just checked out their website. I may just have to add that to our list!

Michael

My error: it's Chaumont-sur-Loire, 51 miles from Chinon.

PalenQ

Orléans has a very nice public garden>

Yes in town the Parc Pasteur with the Little Train of Wichita running around it - given to Orleans years ago by Wichita. But this is a small very formal garden - in La Source you have the stellar Parc Floral de la Source - a vast botanical gardens type place OP may love much more and easy to drive to:

https://www.google.com/search?q=parc...w=1745&bih=868

The gardens have in them the source of the Loiret River - where it begins as bubbling out of the ground and running late into the Loire at Orleans.

kerouac

I keep promising myself that I will make it to the Festival des Jardins at Chaumont.

http://www.domaine-chaumont.fr/fr_concours_index

rhon

Not a garden as such, but the little village of Chedigny is designated a Remarkable Garden of France. There are roses growing everywhere - in gardens, climbing walls , spilling off roofs. We were there in May 2014, about two weeks before the Rose festival and there were lots of flowers already and plenty of buds. It was lovely to walk around.

Dee_Dee

PalenQ - I didn't know Orleans has so much of interest for me.

Kerouac - please make it a priority to do one of your photo essays on the Festival des Jardins this year! So many of us enjoy the journeys you take. We live through vicariously through your camera lens.

rhon - I'm so excited about your suggestion of Chedigny. We have already planned a day in Loches and Montresor. Chedigny will be so easy to add on. I'm sure the roses will be past prime but it sounds like the kind of village we'll enjoy.

So many places so little time! One week will fly by. If anyone else has additional suggestions closer to Chinon, I'd love to hear them. Anything around Saumur?