The royal estate of Château Gaillard, nestled in its setting of stone and forest, has fallen into oblivion.'spreads over 15 hectares in the heart of the city of AmboiseThis small Italian palace surrounded by early gardens of the French Renaissance has been rediscovered and is opening its doors to the public for the first time.
History Château Gaillard is linked to that of King Charles VIIIAnne of Brittany's husband, driven by a thirst for conquest, led the first Italian campaign in 1496 at the head of 30,000 knights. Captivated by the Quattrocento, the Italian cities, and so many new beauties, he returned with 22 artists to found the French Renaissance at his home in Amboise.He is notably accompanied by a monk who is a gardener and botanist. Dom Pacello de Marcolianoconsidered "the greatest gardener in Europe". He will realize for him his dream of an earthly paradise in the valley of Château Gaillard.
Dom Pacello acclimatized orange trees for the first time in France at Château GaillardHe built the first Limonaia orangery and created the orange tree planters. A veritable open-air experimental laboratory, the "King's Gardens" were born. The seven paths of paradise lead visitors through the park and the hillside forest where deer and migratory birds of the Loire can be seen. Dom Pacello also created a famous French plum there, the Reine Claude, which he dedicated and presented to Claude of France, wife of Francis I. He innovated with his curious and original techniques. His "packages" were adorned with colored minerals, his paths with borders of small holly bushes, his fruit trees were pruned into shapes, and his rows of orange trees created a sense of perspective.
François I granted Château Gaillard in perpetuity to "his dear and beloved Pacello" in exchange for an annual bouquet of orange blossoms: an extremely rare royal gift to a servant. He arrived at the age of 50 and died at 87, having been the garden designer for three kings of France: Charles VIII, Louis XII, and François I.
In addition to the gardens, visitors are also invited to discover the A luxuriously furnished period castle, a testament to the art of living in the 16th century.Its ornate double-mullioned windows are adorned with 8,000 stained-glass windows and 36 polychrome medallions Crafted in the pure tradition of the 16th-century glassmakers of St. Just, these glass windows tell the story of the castle. The setting for numerous historical events, such as Mary Stuart's honeymoon and Catherine de Medici's secret meetings to thwart the Amboise conspiracy, Château Gaillard recounts the life of the royal town of Amboise from the perspective of the King's gardens.
After five years of restoration, Château Gaillard and its royal gardens have been revived and offer a an initiatory journey into the lost paradise of the Italian-French RenaissanceHaving become a conservatory for these ancient fruits, the estate displays 160 orange and lemon trees from 60 unusual varieties.
- Continue your exploration of the Loire Valley with the circuit A getaway to the heart of the castles near Amboise which includes the royal domain of Château Gaillard.
