Gardens of the Château de la Ballue

Since their creation around 1615, the castle and gardens of La Ballue have been a Breton singularity. The new castle rises on the foundations of a pre-existing medieval fortress and at its feet, the land is remodeled into terraces created thanks to the medieval ramparts which serve as a buttress; a first garden of Mannerist inspiration was created. When Claude Artaud and her husband, François-Hebert Stevens, nephew of the architect Robert Mallet-Stevens, purchased the La Ballue estate in the 1970s, the garden, subject to the ravages of time, lost its coherence. Accompanied by Paul Maymont, utopian architect, they imprint their vision of the garden on the place: a subtle balance between mannerist stylistic affiliation and contemporary anchoring. This creative approach is all the more remarkable given that the art of gardens is an art that has been neglected or even ignored since after the Second World War. This is how the Château de la Ballue once again sees itself equipped with a garden, which was not designed with the idea of ​​restoring the 17th century garden but with the idea of ​​being faithful to the unique spirit specific to the Domaine de la Ballue since 1615. Marie-France Barrère and Alain Schrotter, owners between 1995 and 2005, made certain modifications and obtained the registration of the estate as a Historic Monument. Since 2005, Marie-Françoise Mathon has been the soul of Château de la Ballue and its gardens; that same year, the gardens received the Remarkable Garden label, then they distinguished themselves in 2017 by being awarded 2nd prize for the most beautiful historic garden in Europe (EGHN prize).