Glory days are back in the Château de Chenonceau Gardens… The gardens within the Château de Chenonceau domain are an outstanding testimony of the fine taste of the two women behind their construction: Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis. Ever since their completion, the gardens have always been an essential part of the castle. In 2003, the building of a maze and the creation of a night promenade bring back the way of life of the 16th century gardens.

Diane’s and Catherine’s times
Chenonceau’s gardens golden age. When Diane de Poitiers is given full property over Chenonceau in 1547, on her first visit she only finds nothing but a simple vegetable garden. This rustic and cramped place is then totally unfit for the needs of the court. This is why, for five long years, some important alterations will take place in order to build what is today known as Le jardin de Diane de Poitiers.

Located upriver from the castle on the bank of the Cher, it is safe from river floods thanks to its heighten terraces. An authentic theatre of green of more than 12,000 m2, the garden was built according to a very straightforward plan: two large diagonal alleys that cross in order to define four triangles. Each triangle is then divided by two other crossed alleys. The gardens’ charms come from its design as well as the choice of plants: fruit trees, rustic bushes, hawthorns, hazel trees while the alleys edges are planted with strawberry trees and violets. Many a renowned gardener have taken care of the place through the years such as the archbishop of Tours and his vicar or Bernard Palissy’s friend and protector, Jean de Selve.

The centre of the garden is decorated with a weathering restored in 2002. The fountain’s mechanism, at the time, showed for a great cleverness.

Henri II, severely wounded during a contest died on July 10th 1559 before he had the chance to open this wonderful place. Diane then had to hand over Chenonceau to the widow queen Catherine de Médicis. She would try to outshine her rival’s splendid deeds with imposing parties dedicated to her sons.

In Catherine’s mind, Chenonceau was meant to become a king’s residence just like les Tuileries. She undertook monumental works there and within the space below the Avant-Cour and the Donjon des Marques, the queen has a garden of curiosities built amongst the patches of flowers and bushes: an aviary, a menagerie, a sheepfold, an artificial cave and la Fontaine du rocher…

Dans l’esprit de Catherine, Chenonceau est appelé à devenir une résidence du roi, tout comme les Tuileries. Elle y fait réaliser des travaux monumentaux. Dans l’espace en contrebas de l’avant-cour et du donjon des Marques, la reine fait aménager un jardin de “curiosités”, parmi les carrés de fleurs et d’arbustes, une volière, une ménagerie, une bergerie, une grotte artificielle et la fontaine du rocher…

Even nowadays, the gardens’ flower decoration is the source of all cares. It is renewed every Spring and Summer. 130,000 flower plants, grown on the domain’s lands, are needed. Diane de Poitiers’ and Catherine de Médicis’ gardens, which original structures have been left untouched, keep alive France’s long tradition of garden laying out.