Chateau de Chenonceau gardens; a stunning chateau surrounded by beautiful formal gardens

Visit Chateau de Chenonceau Gardens

The Chateau de Chenonceau is located in Chenonceau near Amboise in the Loire Valley. The Chateau de Chenonceau is one of the most magnificent and best-loved of the Loire Valley and its gardens provide a perfect setting.

Explore the Gardens of the Chateau de Chenonceau

The Chateau de Chenonceau gardens are made up of a number of individual gardens, the main two being those of Catherine de Medicis and Diane de Poitiers. There is also a maze, a green garden and a cutting garden to see.

Chateau de Chenonceau was given to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, by Henry II but when he died his wife Catherine de Medici forced her out. Diane's garden was created on the right hand side of the castle and when she took over the castle Catherine created her garden on the left hand side!

Diane's garden is a French formal garden based on eight grass triangles. In the centre of the garden is an ornamental fountain. The flower beds are planted twice a year - a spring planting with bulbs, violas and daisies, and a summer planting with petunias, dahlias, tobacco and verveine. Roses and 3000m of santolina form a part of the permanent structure of the garden.

Catherine's garden features an avenue of orange trees, climbing rose trees and flower borders on the edge of the moat. Some aspects of the gardens were designed by Bernard Palissy, a famous French potter.

In 1825 the green garden was created for the Countess of Villeneuve who wanted an English style garden. The green garden has an exceptional collection of ancient trees.

There is a maze planted with 2000 yew trees and with a raised gazebo at its centre. From the gazebo you can look out over the maze.

The vegetable garden is now an impressive cutting garden producing flowers for decorating the castle and for the floral workshops that you can take at Chenonceau. It is huge, about 10,000 square meteres in total.

Actually its worth visiting the chateau just to see these flower displays - they are magnificent. Every room has a different display and the display is renewed twice a week.

There are two permanent flower experts employed at the chateau to oversee the flower gardens, the flower arrangements and the workshops. One of them was voted 'Best Artisan in France'!

Chateau de Chenonceau garden guide

The Chateau de Chenonceau is about 12km south-east of Amboise in the Indre et Loire department of the Loire Valley.

Address: Chateau de Chenonceau, 37150 Chenonceaux

The castle is open every day from 10.00am to 17.00 pm and up depending on the time of year sometimes opens at 09.00 and closes at 18.00. During the main bank holiday weekends the chateau is open until 19.00.

The price is 15 euros for adults and 12 euros for children (7-18s) and free to under 7s and includes entrance to the chateau too.

There is a shop and a picnic area at the chateau.

Gardens to visit nearby

The famous gardens of the Chateau de Villandry are nearby and definitely worth a visit whilst in the area. The gardens of the Chateau de Valencay have been recently restored and some glorious contemporary meadows have been added too.

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