Villandry castle used to be a medieval fortress until Jean Le-Breton, who was also the owner of Chateau de Villesavin, bought it in 1532.
He undertook great construction works to build a magnificent Renaissance Chateau. However, the trendy Italian influence of the times was totally ignored to the benefit of a striking perfect balance, typical of a pure French architectural style.
In those days the reputation of Villandry gardens went already far beyond the Loire Valley borders and included a kitchen garden gathering vegetables from the Americas.
The domain will later by acquired by the Marquess of Castellane in the 18th century. He will made great changes to the Castle. Although these renovation works brought a modern comfort quite close to what exists today in the premises, they badly impaired the harmonious façade of this Renaissance gem.
Fortunately, when the Carvallo family bought the castle in the 19th century, they saved it from the ruins, set up a restoration project for the Renaissance façade, and offered the Villandry gardens a second birth. They became again the vegetal masterpiece they used to be and are nowadays a well-known site beyond European borders.
Today, the third generation of the Carvallo family ensures the durability of the gardens and makes sure the Renaissance style of the castle is totally preserved.
So, if we put Château de Villandry in a nutshell, we get:
