The French gardens of the Château de Chambord
French Garden
Built by François I as a challenge to Nature, the Château de Chambord was known to the public as this masterpiece of Renaissance architecture preceded by a vast grassy esplanade. Since 2017, the facade of Chambord has been adorned with a new plant setting. In place of the carpets of grass which extended over the terrace bordered by the Cosson, the gardens laid out in the 18th century have been restored identically. This reconstruction is the result of 16 years of research and several months of work. An extraordinary project in the spirit of those of the Grand Siècle.
In the footsteps of the gardens of the Château de Chambord in the archives
In the footsteps of the gardens of the Château de Chambord on the grounds
An overview of the Chambord gardens
The question of the state to be restored was of course raised and the answer given was that the only garden which had been completed must be returned to Chambord. It is therefore in this garden, a faithful reconstruction of the 18th century garden, that the public can now stroll. But it’s when you go up to the upper floors of the château that you get the best idea of the new composition of the esplanade.
The area bordered by the Cosson is divided into 4 squares. The one occupied by the castle constitutes the reference module, the other 3 constitute the garden; each space is arranged differently. To the north, are 2 rectangular beds of lawn cut with delicate embroidery; outside, on either side, a double avenue of lime trees borders the flowerbeds. While emphasizing the straightness of the design, when the trees have reached the desired height, they will also be a pleasant, shaded place for walking. Between the two flowerbeds, a central path guides the eye towards the distance; it is decorated with flowers and topiaries in the shape of cones and balls. In the summer months, citrus trees are planted in crates.
Adjoining the north flowerbed, the north-east flowerbed is laid out in a staggered arrangement at right-angles, planted with flowering cherry trees. Charming hedges surround the parterre on 3 sides.
To the right of the château, the east parterre is inspired by the layout of the north parterre, but is smaller and without embroidery motifs. Roses, simple plants and conical and ball-shaped topiaries complete the décor.
Although based on an 18th-century design, the gardens blend in perfectly with the Renaissance facade of the château. They allow us to reconnect with the principle theorized in particular by Leon Battista Alberti in the 15th century according to ancient architects, which is that the garden is a plant transition promoting dialogue between stone architecture and the surrounding landscape.
The key figures of the restitution
The extraordinary construction site which was carried out at Chambord is certainly a restitution project but it is also an immersion into the art of building in the Grand Siècle. And although the technologies are different, the methods, knowledge and know-how, skills, needs for materials and plants are comparable.
- 16 years of work;
- a multidisciplinary team of 100 people;
- 6.5 hectares of surface area
- 618 trees
- 840 shrubs
- 438 units of topiaries
- 15,640 plants demarcating the borders
- 10,928 flowering perennial plants
- 176 rose bushes
- 18 lemon trees in boxes
- 9,200 thyme plants
- 18,874 m2 of lawn
The restitution of the Chambord gardens is an immersion in the past and a contemporary challenge
For several years now, historic gardens have been committed to the practice of eco-management and this is also the choice made by the Chambord team, namely: reasoned management of flower beds, choice of perennial plant species and requiring little maintenance, exemption from phytosanitary treatment. Thus, if the restitution of the Chambord gardens is a wonderful immersion in the past, it now requires taking up the contemporary challenge of maintenance that takes into account the preservation of the environment.
Le château de Chambord
41250 Chambord
Phone : +33 (0)2 54 50 40 00
Events to come
Christmas in Chambord
The 12th edition of ‘Christmas at Chambord’ is coming! From Saturday 29 November, the National Estate of Chambord will be celebrating the magic of Christmas and French craftsmanship with enchanting decorations.
