Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire

Catherine de Medici owned Chaumont and, the story goes, forced Diane de Poitiers to take it in exchange for Chenonceau after Henry II died; Diane did not stay long. The chateau is a compact fortress-shaped building with a good view over the Loire, and its stables, built in 1877, were among the most luxurious in Europe. What makes Chaumont distinct now is the International Garden Festival, held every year since 1992: around thirty designers are each given a hedged plot and a theme, and the results range from serious horticulture to installation art. Contemporary art commissions are placed through the park and the chateau rooms.

What you actually see

• The garden festival - about thirty experimental plots renewed each year.
• The chateau - a compact fortress silhouette above the river.
• The luxury stables - the 1877 horse quarters with fitted stalls.
• The art commissions - contemporary installations through park and rooms.

When to go

The festival runs roughly late April to early November and is the main reason to visit; it looks best from June once planting has filled out. The chateau and park open year-round.

Honest expectations

Festival gardens are small plots and quality varies year to year, with some conceptual rather than horticultural. The site is large and hilly with a good deal of walking. Full-price tickets in festival season are not cheap.

Nearby

Blois lies northeast; Amboise is southwest.