The delights of gardens
Parks and gardens in Aquitaine

Spring marks the return of warm, sunny weather. It is the ideal season to go for strolls in the parks and gardens of our region. There is so much on offer: Aquitaine has a vast number of gardens, all different and all enchanting.
95 parks and gardens are protected as Historic Monuments, 23 are listed, and 29 have been awarded the Jardin Remarquable label by the French Ministry of Culture. Fall under the charm of their natural beauty and their springtime scents.

You can look at the list, which is more complete without being exhaustive. Here we give a few suggestions in Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne and Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

Updated August 2010.

In Terrasson, take a voyage through the history of gardens and of humanity. The Gardens of the Imaginary, laid out on more than 6 hectares of terraces, offer an incomparable view of the Vézère Valley, the cradle of humanity. Thirteen themed areas are designed give you an understanding of the composition and meaning of these gardens, as well as the myths and legends inspired by plants and the symbolism associated with them. Jasmine, passion flowers, irises, azalea, hydrangea and many more bloom from April to October… A dazzling display of colour and scent.
Web: http://www.ot-terrasson.com/cgi-bin/WEB/default.asp?p=j_pres

Another idea is the Wild Orchids Garden owned by the Limodore Association, at Hameau de Cercles, near Ribérac. Conferences and visits are organised from April to June, on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons (2 pm to 6 pm), or all year round if you make an appointment. A botanist specialising in French orchids will tell you all the secrets of the 26 species on show. Discover them in this wild garden with plants that have been saved from destruction, where natural vegetation and orchids grow together in perfect harmony.
Tel: 05 53 90 86 83.
Map on http://www.valdedronne.com/fr/carte.php3?x=M&y=5

Also…

The gardens of the Manoir d'Eyrignac in Salignac. A formal garden where lawns, hornbeams, box-trees, yews and cypresses form a haven of greenery.
Web: http://www.eyrignac.com

The hanging gardens of Marqueyssac in Vézac. A garden overlooking the Dordogne Valley with box-trees, hornbeams, maple trees, oaks and cypresses… a beautiful natural world.
Web: http://www.marqueyssac.com

The gardens of Sardy in Vélines. Of English and Florentine inspiration, these gardens offer a stroll bathed in the aromas of bergamot, patchouli and amaryllis… Around these flowers there are cypresses, rockeries and ponds, creating a wonderfully romantic setting.
Tel: 05 53 27 51 45.

The gardens of Château de Hautefort. Formal gardens and a landscaped informal park surrounding and enhancing this 17th-century castle, originally a medieval fortress.
Web: http://www.chateau-hautefort.com

Planbuisson garden in Le Buisson-de-Cadouin. This garden is largely dedicated to bamboo and other grasses of all shapes, sizes and colours. An original, highly aesthetic garden.
Web: http://www.planbuisson.com

The water gardens in Carsac. A plunge into the aquatic world with waterfalls, streams, frogs, lotuses and water lilies of a thousand colours.
Web: http://www.jardinsdeau.com

At the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère Rivers, discover the panoramic park of Limeuil with its upside-down garden, its landscape trail and its wickerwork area. In summer you can take part in nature workshops (wickerwork, weaving, botany...), accessible to all.
Web: http://www.perigord-patrimoine.com/