Gardens in Lower Normandy Pays de Loire. St-Ceneri-le-Gerei - Jardins de la Mansoniere (20km, 25 mins). In the Alpes Mancelles on the northern outskirts of St-Ceneri-le-Gerei, one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France, are the Gardens of la Mansoniere. A succession of enclosed and walled gardens, each with its own character, leads you onward. Refreshments and small souvenir shop. The Garden of Contrasts. Open mid-April to end of May Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons 14.30h to 18.30h. June to mid September open every afternoon except Tuesday. Ballon - Jardins du Donjon (30km, 30 mins). Ballon is at a strategic point in the Sarthe, between Mamers and Le Mans. An ancient outpost guarding the entry to the Maine, the Fortress of Ballon has a spectacular setting on a rocky outcrop looking northwards over Normandy with superb views from the gardens. It has been classed as a national monument for almost a hundred years. Nearest parking is in the small square at the top of the hill as you approach into Ballon centre. The chateau and gardens of Ballon are not well signposted - they are down a narrow street from this square. There is more parking further on in the main square near a hotel/restaurant. The fortified chateau of Ballon is surrounded by extensive medieval and renaissance gardens which display topiary, fruit trees, old-fashioned roses, clematis, paeonies and viburnums. 1 June to mid July, gardens open every weekend afternoon from 14.30h to 18.30h. Mid July to end of August, gardens and castle open every afternoon except Wednesday from 14.30h to 18.30h. St-Christophe-le-Jajolet - Chateau de Sassy (45km, 40 mins). Near St-Christophe-le-Jajolet is the 18th century Chateau de Sassy. A visit to the gardens (free) can be combined with a guided visit to the chateau interior. The garden is a tracery of clipped box hedges and yew, the parterres picked out in pink gravel and laid out below the towering terraces of the chateau. At one end of the garden is a charming orangery, framed by limes. The current gardens were designed by Achille Duchene in the mid-1920s. Open from Easter to end of September Saturday and Sunday afternoons 15.00h to 18.00h. Open every day from mid-June to mid-September mornings 10.30h to 12.30h and afternoons 14.00h to 18.00h. Vendeuvre - Parc et Jardins du Chateau de Vendeuvre (100km, 1hr 10). A visit to Chateau de Carrouges in the morning can be combined with a visit to Vendeuvre in the afternoon. The Chateau of Vendeuvre was built in 1750 by Alexandre le Forestier d'Osseville as a summer residence; it has been occupied by the same family for over 250 years. The chateau is a perfect illustration of a French stately home and has preserved its original decor and furniture. The orangerie houses a Museum of Doll's House Furniture with more than 700 pieces of furniture and thousands of other tiny reproductions. Around the chateau are three superb gardens: a garden in the formal French parterre style, a vegetable garden and the famous water gardens. Open May to September daily 11.00h to 18.00h. October Sunday afternoons 14.00h to 18.00h. Beaumesnil - Park and Gardens of Chateau de Beaumesnil (115km, 1hr 20). The present day gardens were constructed in the 18th century. Formal French gardens with superb vistas, box tree maze, lakes, motte and 120 acres of parkland. The chateau also boasts a superb moat and is open for visitors. Open from Easter to June 30th Friday to Monday, from 14.00h to 18.00h. July and August open every day from 11.00h to 18.00h. September open every day except Tuesday, from 12.00h to 18.00h. Champ de la Pierre - Parc du Chateau (45km, 50 min). A wide beech avenue leads from the chateau to the lake which is surrounded by woods, meadows and orchards. Follow the path along the water's edge to find little landing bays, a superb maze and follies in the chateau grounds. Open mid-July to end of September mornings 10.00h to 12.00h and afternoons 14.30h to 18.30h. In July and August also visit the fascinating old forges nearby at les Forges de la Pierre. Preaux-du-Perche - Jardin Francois (45km, 45 mins). A garden to delight keen horticulturalists, extending over 8 acres and packed with all sorts of flowering plants and shrubs. In theory it is open all year, and they claim it is from sunrise to sunset, but it best visited from May to September. The Jardin Francois is near to another garden, the Parc du Chateau de Loriere at La Rouge - see below. Monceaux-au-Perche - Jardins du Manoir du Pontgirard (50km, 50 mins). Near Monceaux-au-Perche is the 16th century Manoir du Pontgirard. The manor house sits among terraced gardens picked out by yew hedges. Open from Easter to end of September Saturday and Sunday afternoons 15.00h to 18.00h. Open every day from mid-June to mid-September mornings 10.30h to 12.30h and afternoons 14.00h to 18.00h. La Rouge - Parc du Chateau de Loriere (50km, 50min). The park of the chateau de Loriere is very much in the English style, alternating lawns, woods and groves of exotic trees collected from foreign lands. On the walk through the gardens there are lovely views of the Perche hills round about. In addition to the park itself there is a kitchen garden and a rose garden with hundreds of old varieties, many beautifully scented. Open weekends from 1 May to 30 September, 10.00h to 12.00h and 14.00h to 18.00h. The Parc du Chateau de Loriere is near to another garden, the Jardin Francois - see above. Crouttes - Jardins du Prieure Saint-Michel (80km, 1hr 10). A succession of gardens such as the rose garden, physic garden and iris garden are distributed around the priory buildings, built in the half timbered, colombage style that some consider typical of Normandy. The grounds also include orchards, a wildflower garden, a water garden and superb water lily pond. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 1st May to end of September, afternoons only from 14.00h to 18.00h. Le Lude - Parc et Jardins du Chateau de Lude (100km, 1hr 20). The Chateau du Lude is the northernmost of the major Loire Valley chateaux. It is a magnificent chateau with gardens to match and is just south of Le Mans. Different parts of the chateau reveal its origins as a medieval fortress, then a Renaissance chateau, with final additions in the 18th-19th centuries. It has been in the same family for 250 years. The extensive grounds include a formal French parterre, a woodland park and a vegetable garden that will delight all garden enthusiasts. Open from 1 April to end of September every day except Wednesdays in April, May, June and September. Gardens can be visited 10.00h to 12.30h and 14.00h to 18.00h; tours of the chateau interior 14.30h to 18.00h. Champ du Bataille, south of Rouen - Gardens of Chateau du Champ du Bataille (140km, 1hr 30min). At Champ du Bataille is a magnificent new garden based on the classic French style but with many modern twists. The old gardens had fallen into disrepair and gone without trace when Jacques Garcia took it upon himself to create a garden in the grounds of the chateau, which is situated next to probably the best golf course in western France. An outline plan of the former gardens survived, which revealed the basic outline and terraces of the disappeared garden. This was used as a guideline, but the execution of the new garden (begun in 1993 and continuing over the next 12 years) is a superb effort of artistic design and inspiration, with classical influences. Parterres, follies, classical temples, fountains, lakes - 43 hectares of park and garden in all with a vista stretching over a mile from the main terrace of the chateau. Chateau and gardens open weekends and public holidays from Easter to end of October from 14.00h to 18.00h. May open every day 14.00h to 18.00h. July to August open every day 10.00h to 18.00h. Colombiers-du-Plessis - Jardin des Renaudies (85km, 1hr 30min). At Colombiers-du-Plessis the English-style botanic garden of Jardin des Renaudies covers 10 acres. 3000 different shrubs, trees,...

Sights and Days Out in Normandy and Sarthe. Day Trips in Normandy and Sarthe A weekend in Normandy is not enough! Sees cathedral, Haras du Pin and secret Chateaux of the Orne. Falaise, Vendeuvre and Camembert in the Pays d'Auge. Historic Town and Cathedral of Chartres. The Alpes Mancelles to the west of Ancinnes. Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, Sille-le-Guillaume, Jublains, Ste Suzanne. Le Mont Saint Michel, Domfront, Bagnoles de l'Orne. D-Day Normandy Landing Beaches and Museums. Heritage and Antiques Trail in the Perche Park. The Perseigne Forest, Belvedere and Villages. Alencon's cobbled streets, gift shops, chocolatiers, parks and street markets (Thursday and Saturday) should not be missed. The Parc des Promenades behind the Palais de Justice regularly hosts open-air shows, festivals and exhibitions thoughout the year. You can follow an. Alencon Tourist Office. which is housed in the former palace of the Dukes of Alencon, the 'Maison d'Oze', next to the spectacular gothic Eglise Notre Dame. Nearby in Rue St Blaise you can visit the birthplace of St Therese of Lisieux, which draws pilgrims from around the world. Alencon lace, considered by many as the finest in the world, has been made since the 17th century. The Museum of Fine Arts houses a permanent exhibition explaining the technique and displays examples down the centuries. You will also find many excellent restaurants, cafes, bars and bistros in Alencon. Chateaux, Gardens etc. near Alencon. Fortress and gardens. Home of the most famous cheese in France. Chateau de Carrouges. Chateau de Courtilloles. Chateau and old town. Haras du Pin national stud farm. St Ceneri-le-Gerei - St Christophe-le-Jajolet - Logis du Moullins and Hemp Museum. Cathedral and Religious Art Museum. Chateau and water gardens, museum of miniature furniture. Gardens to visit in Normandy and Haut Pays de Loire. There are dozens of gardens to visit within a short drive - and our own garden is free for you to explore with its lawns, kitchen garden, fruit trees, herbaceous beds and water plants. The number of gardens to visit in Normandy and Pays de Loire is bewildering; to help you choose which gardens to visit, we have listed the ten best Normandy gardens and Pays de la Loire gardens near us on a special page. Gardens in Normandy and Haut Pays de Loire. A small selection of our brochures in the guest sitting room. The chateau is close to the village of Saint-Christophe-le-Jajolet in the Orne. A traditional formal French garden with pathways leading from the chateau and its terraces, inviting the visitor to walk the length of the gardens. At one end of the garden is a charming orangery, framed by limes. The hedges which border the are constructed of evergreens such as boxwood, yew and bay. The whole of this site was constructed over the course of more than century: from the main part of the chateau at the end of 18th to the creation of the French garden about 1925. Opening : From the 15/6 to the 15/9, 10h30 to 12h30 and 14h to 18h. Easter Saturday to the 14/6 and the 16/9 to the 30/9, weekends and festivals, 15h to 18h. Self-guided visits to the garden, guided for the chateau. In the heart of the countryside, between Sees and Argentan, sits this this splendid Norman Renaissance chateau, located near Mortree. The Chateau d'O bears the name of the family that built it at the end of XV century and is also literally a chateau d'eau, as the building is reflected in the water of the moats which surround it. It comprises three wings - the Xvth century East wing in a Gothic-Renaissance style, the XvIth century South Wing, and the XvIIth century West Wing in brick and stone. It matches in beauty the best chateaux of the Loire. The decoration of the interior court, the complexity of the roofs, the slim character of the turrets, the marriage of brick and stone, all add to the elegance and charm of the chateau. Inside are pretty frescoes and trompes l'oeil. The chateau is open most afternoons from June to mid-September from 1.30pm to 5.00pm. Close by is the. In the 11th century a fortified keep was constructed to protect a crossing on the Orne at this point near Medavy. In the 16th century this was replaced by a stronger fortification with four outlying towers joined by a curtain wall; further defences were added by diverting the path of the River Orne itself to feed the moat which still surrounds the chateau to this day, although two of the towers have fallen into ruin due to the ravages of weather and fire respectively. The two remaining towers are nowadays topped by domes, which replaced the previous pointed defensive roofs when Louis 13th ordered the removal of the curtain walls which joined the towers, out of fear of future rebellion by the lords of Normandy. The chateau houses some interesting 19th century furniture and the library has some wonderful original maps of the departements of France as they were at the time of their creation following the Revolution. Close by is the. This elegant residence has kept its original charm and features, marrying the roughness of a medieval fortress with touches of the Renaissance and the lines of the Classical period. Growing in size and grandeur between the XIV (the fortified keep) and the XVII (two renaissance aparment wings) centuries, the Chateau de Carrouges evolved with Normandy itself and was embroiled in both the Hundred Years War and the Wars of Religion. Broad moats fortify the buildings. The chateau was originally owned by the Carrouges family then passed through marriage to the Blosset and Le Veneur families, where it stayed until 1936 when the castle became property of the State, the owners' iron forging business having fallen into hard times during the 19th century industrial revolution and the upkeep becoming unaffordable. The entrance is via the brick red gatehouse and steep roofs, behind which you will discover the castle. Cross the bridge over the moats and enter the castle to arrive at the beautiful interior courtyard, before entering the main buildings to explore the rooms and apartments. There is a shop housed in the nearby Collegiale church with a good selection of locally produced produce and crafts, as well as a small gift shop in the chateau courtyard. Self-guided visits to the garden, guided (45mins) for the chateau. Open all year except Christmas Day. April 1 - June 15 and Sept 1 - 30: 10.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 18.00 16 June - 31 August: 09.30 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 18.30 1 Oct - 31 March 10.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.00. Domfront has existed since the XI century, with the construction of a wooden fortification of which there remains no trace. Very soon after this original, a stone construction was built with an imposing keep and 24 towers connected by a system of ramparts. Today the ruins of the keep and a dozen towers remain, hinting at the power of the medieval city coveted by lords and kings, both English and French. The court of Henri II was once housed here. The old town is well preserved; you can see the half-timbered houses, cobbled streets, architectural details, sculptures and roofs which attest to its long history. Do not miss pans from the north ramparts onto the valley, and from the garden of the keep towards Mont Margentin. Ballon is at a strategic point in the Sarthe, between Mamers and Le Mans. An ancient outpost guarding the entry to the Maine, the has stood high on a rocky outcrop looking northwards over Normandy for over a thousand years. It has been classed as a national monument for almost a hundred years (1923). It is surrounded by extensive medieval and renaissance gardens which display topiary, fruit trees, old-fashioned roses, clematis, paeonies and viburnums. Opening hours - 1 June to mid July, gardens open every weekend from 14h30 to 18h30 - mid July to end of August, gardens and castle open every afternoon 14h30 to 18h30, except Wednesday. The nationally renowned stud farm of the Haras du Pin was created in 1665 on the initiative of Colbert with th...

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