Every year since 1992, the
gardens of
chateau
Chaumont-sur-Loire play host to the annual ‘Festival des
Jardins’, a garden festival with up to 30
themed gardens. These gardens are created by different landscape
architects, designers and artists around a theme, which changes every
year. This brings the chateau surroundings to life with the colour and
fragrances of the many plants and flowers on display. It also promotes nursery projects and lets both the public and trade see new ideas on the use of colour and materials in flower and garden displays. Due to its continued quality and success the garden festival has gained an international reputation with visitors coming from every corner of the globe.
From over 300 proposals 20 to 30 gardens are
selected for inclusion in the festival. Included
were contributions from the UK, Japan, the
Netherlands, Germany and Italy.
The displays are also illuminated under the 'Gardens
of Light' theme allowing visitors the chance
to explore the gardens by night. The chateau is also
enhanced by the glow of over 2000 candles (10pm 1st
July - 31st August)
Here is
our slideshow of the gardens in the sequence they appear on
site at the 2015 Garden Festival.
Seeing them in real life is
even better - a very good day out which includes the art
installations and chateau grounds. You can of course also
visit
the chateau itself along with its stables.
The great thing about the garden festival is that it is
different every year
From April to November the chateau and gardens of Chaumont
also plays host to 'Centre d’Arts et de Nature' (Arts and
Nature Centre), which welcomes artists to contribute visual
and photographic exhibitions. These are placed throughout
the chateau and gardens to best effect.
The kids will like it here, exploring the the permanent features like the 'Valley of the mists' (Vallon
des Brumes) and taking the ' wild iron pathway' (Sentier des Fers Sauvages ). They will also like the twisting and turning pathway of the festival that
always leads to something different
'Jardins de
Lumière'
From the 1st July to the 31st August the festival
gardens are illuminated every evening (except
Friday), from 10.00pm until midnight. You must enter
before 11.00pm and can use your day ticket for free
access.
Illuminated garden photographs courtesy of Armand Foucault
.JPG)
