Les Jardins du Chateau de la Motte, a garden in north west France

Photo of Les Jardins du Chateau de la Motte

Visit Les Jardins du Chateau de la Motte

Les Jardins du Chateau de la Motte is a garden in Usseau in the Vienne department of Poitou-Charente in the West of France.

These gardens were voted the favourite garden in the Poitou-Charente region in a 2013 competition run by the French tv channel France 2.

Explore Les Jardins du Chateau de la Motte

The gardens of the Chateau de la Motte are medieval in inspiration . The main paths in the garden form a cross and represent the four axes of the world. At the centre is a fountain representing the source of life.

The gardens were installed by the current owners of the chateau and initially, in 2001 were a collaboration with a local school of horticulture who provided an initial plan and undertook much of the work with its students as part of their training.

In 2004 one of the teachers came to work full time at the chateau and develop phase 2 - notably a large potager which feeds guests of the Chateau's ' 'Table d’hôtes' but has been designed to be decorative too, and a lovely medieval-inspired garden with four parterres and a central hexagonol pond and fountain.

In the potager many ancient varieties of vegetables are grown and all are used in the restaurant.

Occupying a position with splendid views over the surrounding countryside is the lovely 'Jardin suspendu'. This garden is surrounded by ancient stone walls and in the centre is a metal-framed pergola covered in climbing plants and offering shade to the seating area within.

The chateau is also a Chambre d'hote and so you can even stay here and make the most of the lovely setting.

Chateau de la Motte garden guide

The gardens are open the days of the 'Rendez vous au Jardins' and the 'Journées du Patrimoine'. Outside of these dates the gardens are open by appointment only in July and August.

Visits are 7 euros and free for children.

Address: Chateau de la Motte, 2 La Motte, 86230 Usseau

Gardens to visit nearby

There are not so many private gardens in this area but the Jardin des Plantes at La Rochelle is well planted and if you are nearby the town hall garden of Marans is not bad.

You can find more local travel ideas in the North West France guide,