CHÂTEAU DE VILLANDRY

In the early 16th century the site was acquired by Jean Le Breton, France’s Controller-General for War under King Francis I, and a new château was constructed around the original 14th-century keep where King Philip II of France once met Richard I of England to discuss peace.

The château remained in the Le Breton family for more than two centuries until it was acquired by the Marquis de Castellane. During the French Revolution the property was confiscated and in the early 19th century, Emperor Napoleon acquired it for his brother Jérôme Bonaparte.

In 1906, Joachim Carvallo purchased the property and poured an enormous amount of time, money and devotion into repairing it and creating extremely beautiful gardens. Its famous Renaissance gardens include a water garden, ornamental flower and vegetable gardens.

Château de Villandry is a grand country house built in the 16th century with extensive formal gardens in the renaissance style. The gardens were restored by Joachim Carvallo following his purchase of the property in 1906. Still owned by the Carvallo family, the Château de Villandry is open to the public and is one of the most visited châteaux in France; in 2007 the château received about 330,000 visitors.