In France, the word “château” conjures up visions of large stone castles with turrets located out in the countryside. (By contrast, a ‘château-like’ building in a city such as Paris is known as a palais, or palace.) These grand château residences all over France often have deep historical roots tied to the nobility or high bourgeoisie who owned them. And too, châteaux were typically surrounded by large domains, or terres (lands), reflecting the wealth and stature of their owners.
The Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley is a picture-perfect example of the fairytale French castle surrounded by beautiful gardens and woodlands – with a colorful historical past to boot. At every visit, I am always astounded by the refined architecture and exquisite interior rooms of the château. In fact, I could spend hours taking in the beautiful furniture, ornate moldings, wondrous stone fireplaces, magnificent kitchen rooms, and more. In addition, the sumptuous formal gardens outdoors provide infinite views of beauty and horticultural creativity.
But on my recent visit to Chenonceau a few weeks ago, I was unexpectedly éblouie (dazzled) by the ‘indoor gardens’ inside the château. I had forgotten that all year round, visitors are treated to gorgeous floral arrangements in every room. The idea is to make the castle seem comme une demeure habitée (like a lived-in dwelling).
To that end, a team of fleuristes (floral designers) creates stunning arrangements twice a week from the cutting gardens and greenhouses located on the property. The outdoor gardens are brought indoors, so to speak. In my opinion, the best way to visit Chenonceau is to build suspense and first walk through le potager des fleurs (the cutting gardens), then continue through the formal gardens and finally enter into the château itself. By following this itinerary, you experience the exquisite harmony between man and nature as only the French know how to do.
The abundance of floral possibilities in the cutting gardens means that every arrangement is color coordinated with the room it inhabits…
One of my absolute favorites was the spray of pampas grass blooms set in front of an antique woven tapestry. The colors and textures enhanced each other so well that it was hard to look away. When traveling, it’s amazing how the simplest vision can be incredibly memorable.
Chenonceau’s private chapel was also a picture of simplicity with its floral creations of white and green.
Another favorite was the small library which displayed all manner of prints, sketches and illustrations of Chenonceau throughout the centuries. The fireplace mantel was embellished with a horizontal masterpiece of flowers, greenery and natural decorative elements. Even the container was a work of art with local chestnuts, leaves and lichens arranged upon it. I had never seen luscious brown chestnuts used in this way – c’était vraiment magnifique!
And if you’re in need of a lily fix, then the Château de Chenonceau would be a must. The entry room to the castle was awash with multiple arrangements of pink lilies. The largest arrangement alone must have contained more than 300 blooms. Of course, the scent was heavenly.
And it’s hard to go wrong with white lilies on their own…
All this to say, Chenonceau is a definite destination stop in France – for the castle and for the outdoor gardens. But since the indoor garden decor is as stunning as the rest, I would visit the château any day just for that.
For more information on visiting the Château de Chenonceau, please click here.
French Take-Out ~ La France à emporter
The floral studio at Chenonceau is a treasure trove of inspiration. Materials and flowers are at the ready for bringing blooms indoors. I wanted to spend a week there just observing the floral team at work.
If you’re in need of a ‘French floral fix,’ then consider joining the French Affaires’ summer trip to the Loire Valley next June. We’ll take in the most beautiful of French gardens and châteaux including Chenonceau. Our trip dates are June 7 to 14, 2013. For more information about this special France travel opportunity, please email us at info.french@frenchaffaires.com .
And the next time you are in Paris, you might consider taking a floral arranging class offered by La Belle Ecole. While the classes are conducted only in French, it would be worth the visual experience just to attend. For more information on their offerings, please click here.
