Welcome to La Ballue Jardin, Brittany
I followed the winding lanes of the Mont-Saint-Michel countryside which lead to one of the most magnificent gardens in twenty-first century France.
This is a charming château, perfectly preserved on the exterior, and grand and elegant on the interior. Situated among dramatic theatrical gardens, the beautiful 17th century château is a symphony of classical architecture, exquisite décor and contemporary art.
In the past, la Ballue welcomed Balzac, Victor Hugo and other prestigious visitors and more recently inspired artists such as Robert Rauschenberg and Monory.
The Gardens of La Ballue, with their many “outdoor rooms,” linked by stunningly designed vistas and spaces filled with imaginative topiary and hedges, with garden planters, urns, garden furniture and the traditional Versailles planters, recall the Italian Mannerism style and the Yin Yang inspirations of the landscape architects and creators Paul Maymont & François Hebert Stevens. The gardens were laid out over thirty years ago; since then many different creative ideas have been implemented, each of which has added to the gardens’ mystery and power.
The design is dramatic, distinguished by three-dimensional, organic shapes and groups of sculpted allegorical figures in movement. Variety and whimsy characterize the Baroque garden, and there are spaces and surprises to discover here in all seasons.
Open from 10:00 am till 6:30 pm every day from June to September, and only from Thursday to Sunday out of season.
