Royal Domain of Chateau Gaillard
In the heart of the royal city lies the 15-hectare Domaine Royal de Château Gaillard, Dom Pacello’s forgotten royal paradise, a unique example of the encounter between Italian and French Renaissance artists.
The Domaine Royal de Château Gaillard: the forgotten paradise of the kings of France
When King Charles VIII discovered the Kingdom of Naples at the end of 1494, he literally fell in love with the beauty of Italian villas, enchanted by the luxuriance of their gardens and the exoticism of their fruit. He spent an extraordinary stay in Italy, filled with cultural and gastronomic discoveries that were to mark the end of his life, and in turn, the aesthetics of his royal city. On his return to Amboise, he entrusted the twenty or so Italian craftsmen accompanying him with the task of recreating this little Mediterranean paradise in the Loire town. This was the birth of the Domaine Royal de Château Gaillard. Leaning against the tufa slope, facing the southern sun, an elegant palazzo rises from the ground, finely chiselled.
Wide openings pierce the façade and illuminate the interiors. Charles VIII, Anne de Bretagne, Louis XII… countless illustrious personalities have strolled the estate’s flower beds and comfortable château interiors. In 1558, it was a young Scotswoman, just married, who discovered the site, no doubt with some emotion. She was Queen Marie Stuart, who had just married the young King Francis II. The couple spent some time at the Domaine Royal de Château Gaillard, then owned by the queen’s uncle, Cardinal de Guise. Marie Stuart’s bedroom and bed, located on the second floor of the château, bear witness to the royal visit.
The Domaine Royal de Château Gaillard: a hint of Italy in the heart of the Loire Valley
On the accession of François 1st, he offered the estate to Dom Pacello de Mercogliano, master gardener by trade, who showed off all his inventiveness. He planted the kingdom’s first orange trees, sculpted the vegetation and cultivated rare species that adapted perfectly to the microclimate of this pretty, sunny valley. Dom Pacello believed that a garden should be as enchanting in summer as it is in winter. His techniques were revolutionary for the time, using materials and species never before seen this far north in Europe.
« Only Adam and Eve are missing from this wonderful paradise to make a new Eden »
Charles VIII
To enter the gates of the Domaine Royal de Château Gaillard is to awaken all the senses. The colors of its flowerbeds, the brilliance of its tufa stone, the sweet scent of orange blossom, the lapping of its spring, the rustling of the leaves of century-old trees…not forgetting the taste of freshly squeezed orange juice. Let yourself be enchanted by its sculpted façade, stroll along one of the seven paths in its centuries-old park and enjoy the peace and quiet of François 1er’s hidden paradise. The troglodytic orangery is one of the must-see attractions in this wonderful park, a fragrant nugget well sheltered beneath the château’s courtyard. Here, dozens of citrus species thrive in serenity, protected from wind and weather. The Buddha’s Hand, a species of citrus fruit native to Asia, is sure to surprise you with its original shape.
Informations pratiques
The Domaine Royal de Château Gaillard is open from February to the end of the Christmas vacations. Free guided tours are offered throughout the year, allowing visitors to explore the grounds and interiors in depth. During the Easter and All Saints’ vacations, a rich and original program takes visitors, and especially families, on a whirlwind of unusual activities (treasure hunts, creative workshops, etc.). Throughout December, the orange tree Christmas season ushers in a magical period when magical decorations take over all the rooms and apartments.
