Dordogne - Parks and gardens

Parks and Gardens of the Dordogne: pleasure of the directions

Harmonize. Here is probably the word more adapted to the parks and gardens of Dordogne Périgord. The Périgourdins gardeners always had the respect of the nature which surrounds them and the work of old.

The parks and gardens are of the enclaves in which nature is more or less controlled according to the tradition of the place or the will of its creators. They are rare places where all the directions of the visitors are led towards the appeasing.

To note: The Gardens "de l'imaginaire", the gardens of Marqueyssac, the gardens of Eyrignac, the gardens of Losse obtained the label “Garden remarkable”.

Parks and Gardens of the Dordogne: the treasure of the plants

Certain gardens are alive museums recalling us that the plants enable us to nourish but also to look after us. The garden of the Unicorn in Eyzies puts at the honor the medieval practice of the gardening. One can discover there old medicinal herbs, a kitchen garden, an orchard and “utility” garden where are cultivated curative and feeder plants.

This medieval garden with its symmetry and its squares with topic, is also the medieval scenery of the courtly love and the poetic inspiration of a Bertrand de Born. Place of relaxation and discovery, this garden pointing out the science of the herbalist, the apothecary, the cook and the knowledge of the gardener are a single place in Vézère valley.

Parks and Gardens of the Dordogne: hanging garden

From the top of their headland, the gardens of Marqueyssac dominate the valley of the Dordogne majestically. More than 150,000 cut boxwood the visitors in the alleys of this park of exception guide (* with the Michelin guide). Around these roads worked by the hand of the man, the vegetation opens out with complete freedom. A strong contrast marks the two principal alleys of the site. In north, the walk is rectilinear broadside by a small low wall skirting the garden. In the south, sinuous paths traverse the garden and bring the visitors towards various panoramas on the valley. One will retain that of the “View-point” which from the top of its 130 meters makes it possible to embrace the valley of the Dordogne and its castles (Castelnaud, Beynac).

To note: the evenings of summer, of the thousands of candles illuminate the ways of the garden of Marqueyssac and give to its visit a romantic and magic dimension.

Parks and Gardens of the Dordogne: masterpieces of vegetable architecture

The traditional garden here is characterized primarily by the perfection of topiary art and the vegetable compositions born from the imagination of the gardeners. That she is guided for the gardens with English or rigorously framed for the French gardens, the vegetation leaves with a whole a feeling of beauty and balance. Although these gardens are organized, they are different all. The gardens of Eyrignac evoke Italy, Hautefort avoids various colors according to the mood of the gardeners, Losse recalls us the ancient aspects found to the Rebirth.

With the garden of Eyrignac nothing is left randomly, nature is worked in its least details. One discovers there a subtle mixture of pure lines combined with the soft mixture of the range of the greens. It is undoubtedly for that celebrates it gone of the charms always subjugates the visitor: on 100 meters of an absolute regularity intermingle charms, yews and clear grass. The gardens of Eyrignac also open on the surrounding countryside with its open-air theater which makes it possible thanks to its vegetable windows to admire the landscapes neighborhood.

The gardens of Roofing stone in Vézère valley offers to the visitor a garden of scents where the emanations of wisteria, balls of lavender, rosemary and santoline invade the directions. It releases from this site an atmosphere of good being and intimacy. To the south of the garden, the room of greenery made up of hedges, offers to the spirit a space favourable with the meditation and rest.

The garden of the castle of Hautefort offers a perfect example of “French garden”. It is avoided vegetable embroideries that the gardener laid out like would have made a painter on a fabric. Windows of the castle and main courtyard one tastes with the meticulousness of the embroideries of this unit. Here topiary art is imaginative and evokes shells, cones, labyrinths.

Parks and Gardens of the Dordogne: gardens of “countryside”

The gardens of Cadiot and Albarède are contemporary works, gardens of creators where nothing is solidified, sacrilized. They adapt and reveal their beauty in the course of the years. They are gardens of “countryside”, one penetrates there by the kitchen garden and the intimist atmosphere which reigns there offer with the visitors an experiment out of commun run. These gardens present “associated cultures” i.e. plantations where vegetables mix, annual flowers, aromatic plants and vegetables of yesteryear.

To note: the pivoineraie of Cadiot understands a collection of 100 varieties.

Parks and Gardens of the Dordogne: "Les jardins de l'imaginaire"

Opened since 1996, the Gardens of Imaginary of Small terrace in Vézère valley are the only contemporary gardens of the territory. In overhang of Vézère and vis-a-vis the old city, on more than 6 ha, they invite to exceptional strolls in the universal art of the gardens. 13 evocative tables of the myths and legends related to the history of the gardens, treaties in an allusive way, are pressed on the elements invariants of the Gardens of Humanity (water, air, ground, plants). During one strolls guided, crowned wood, gold wire, gardens of water, cascades….and rosery, make gradually penetrate the visitor in the world of the imaginary one.

In 2007, they were seen allotting the label “Inheritance of the 20th century” by the Ministry for the Culture which estimates that the architectural and urban interest of the realization justifies to transmit them to the future generations like elements except for whole of the inheritance of the 20th century.

Parks and Gardens of the Dordogne: gardens from here and besides

It is in a calcareous stone that niche the garden of Gageac Castling. ** Gerard DORIN, specialist in the environment, established in this small village some pink bay-trees. Surprised of the success of this culture, it brings back of the 4 corners of the world of the plants which adapt easily and give to this site a particular seal. In high-speed motorboat, more than 100 species of palm trees which grow with complete freedom. One can admire also there pomegranates, orange trees, lemon trees, coconuts of Chile, yuccas and even of enormous banana trees. This park is also the Eden of the trees with flowers, hibiscus, albizzias. All flood colors this strange garden exotic in the middle of Périgord Noir.

The water garden of Carsac is also surprising. In complete harmony with its environment, it is the reference mark of the water lilies and other lotuses. Here the vegetation is not invading, it does not overload the water level. The banks coloured by solid masses of iris, geraniums, of osmanthes, contrast with the watery extent which lets hatch of splendid nymphea and superb lotuses to the suave perfumes of the East. It releases from the site a poetic and serene atmosphere.