1. Amboise, town2. Château Gaillard, Amboise3. Tours, town4. Royal Château of Amboise5. Royal Château of Blois6. Château de Chenonceau7. Château de Nitray, Athée-sur-Cher8. Château d’Azay-le-Rideau9. Château de Chambord10. St. Anne's Collegiate Church, château, Ussé11. St. John the Baptist Collegiate Church, Montrésor12. Jehan de Seigné Chapel, Bléré13. Town hall, Beaugency14. Château de Villesavin, Tour-en-Sologne15. Château de l’Islette, Cheillé – Azay-le-Rideau16. Loches, town1718. Château de La Côte, Reugny19. Sainte-Chapelle, Champigny-sur-Veude20. Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, the Grand Moûtier and the Chapter House21. Le Rivau, stables of the château, Lémeré
Château de Villandry
Jean le Breton's château is one of the latest of the Loire's Renaissance châteaux. It was built after the royal court returned to Ile-de-France. Its owner, President of the Blois Chambre des comptes (chamber of accounts), former French ambassador in Rome and Finance Secretary to Francis I, acquired it in 1532. Le Breton, who also owned the Château de Villesavin next to Chambord, oversaw many construction projects of the early French Renaissance in the Loire Valley.
As soon as he became owner, he demolished the old building except for one tower and kept the moat. Aside from these components, the medieval style was completely abandoned. He had a series of three wings built at right angles, structured around a paved quadrangle. It is likely that a fourth wing originally closed the courtyard. The symmetrical layout, open walkways on the ground floor and criss-crossing patterns of the façades were inspired by Italian models. However, the order on the façades shows some irregularities. The decoration of the dormers with candelabra ornamentation and volutes is resolutely Renaissance. They resemble those of Azay-le-Rideau and Chambord. However, the façades as we know them today are the result of reconstruction work, which removed any remnants of 18th century alterations.
The château is surrounded by an extensive garden with flowerbeds in tiered terraces. The ornamental garden features trimmed shrubbery organised by shape. The vegetable garden is arranged in geometric patterns, and the Jardin des Simples contains medicinal herbs (simples in medieval French). Streams, waterfalls, fountains and mazes were typical features in gardens at the time. The majority of the components are a symbolic message originating from Antiquity, often Christianised during the Renaissance.
The original gardens also underwent alterations in the 18th century. In the early 20th century the château's new owner, Joachim Carvallo, and his wife recreated the original organisation of terraces and parterre gardens using engravings and drawings from the period.
Villandry, one of the Loire Valley's late châteaux, did retain some medieval elements. The embattled tower and moat were no longer needed at the time. The function of the tower, incorporated into the new building, was to give the impression of its owner's seniority. The building, tall and imposing, accentuates this effect with its roof and dormers by creating a vertical focus. However, Villandry also used innovative square pavilions instead of corner towers. This trend, from Ile-de-France, also foreshadowed classical architecture.
Despite its "château-like" appearance, Villandry is more like an Italian "villa" with direct access to the gardens. This proximity is rare, and the size for a garden of this type is unparalleled in the region. One of its models was probably Bury, which is no longer standing, but whose design reflected the same principles. The use of essential components of the "Renaissance garden" reveal extensive knowledge of the style.
