Nov 20

Château du Rivau- a castle of visions.

Updated: 1 day ago

It has been a few years since I visited the Loire region, which is renown for its outstanding castles, making us believe that fairy tells do exist.

I wanted to visit a castle adapted to my current mood. Not too enormous that I will not get lost inside, but still to enjoy the presence of a castle or a palace.

I heard about Château du Rivau and its majestic gardens. in Mai, they celebrate the roses festival. They cultivated various kinds of roses. The garden has so many flowers that blossom all through the seasons.

I couldn't arrive in Mai, for the roses, so I promised myself I would see it in Autumn, with all its majestic colours.

One thing you must remember about this region is that you are always close to a town or a village.

I wasn't lost in the forest till I reached Château du Rivau. The closest town to it is Chinon, a beautiful city with many stories to tell, which I will share with you in my following report dedicated to Chinon.

After a short car ride, I arrived at the "promised land." The Château du Rivau. It charmed me straight away.

I felt at ease, as if I had arrived at this stunning place that didn't demanded too many strict rules and codes to comprehend it. I could start exploring at my own pace, which I loved.

Getting thoroughly the sensations,

The twinkle of the pumpkins.

Do you love Pumpkins? How can we not be fascinated by this lively orange vegetable? It reminds us of many tales and legends, from Cinderella's magical carriage to the scary Halloween.

The pumpkin deserves its title as the Automne queen. As such, it was the first thing that welcomed me into the legendary gardens of the Rivau.

Gardens and sights

There are 15 gardens around the castle. Each one has different flowers and plants. They are unique and the promenade in them lifts you with energy as calming the mind.

The gardens, created in 1995 by Patricia Laigneau, reflect the spirit and taste of their owners, the Laigneau family.

This rich and eclectic taste is evident in the gardens; from the garden dwarfs and Snow white to modern and surprising sculptures, they remind the viewer of the history and stories of this castle.

The enormous legs of giants in the vast gardens (five pairs of them, and the name of the artwork by the artist Basserode- la foret qui court- the forest that runs) can also allude to the giants of Rabelais, the notorious author was born in Chinon. He was known for his writings on the giants and referred to the castle in his writings.

The castle has undergone transformations , through the centuries. from the family Beauvau, which owned it in the Middle Ages, to its current owners, the family Laigneau.

The ancient castle provides myths and mysteries-even the heroic Joan of Arc passed and stayed at Chateau de Rivau.

One thing that I recommend is to absorb all this beauty and let the inspiration melt into you.

At night, I stayed in the hotel with a particular charm opposite the castle. It owns the character of a fortress, no wonder. It is a historical monument from the times of the Renaissances; it was the royal stables transformed into a hotel - luxurious and cozy at the same time.

The rooms are remarkably furnished

In the evening, I met the new Italian chef, Andrea Modesto. Before starting his work, he likes to walk in the gardens and he told me that he loves looking at the sunset from a certain angle, because it has particularly flamboyant colours.

It was nice chatting with him, and I enjoyed the refined vegetarian Italian meal ( that was my choice, you can choose meat or fish) in the secretive restaurant hidden in the gardens.

The restaurant's name is "Les Jardins Secrets."

It is essential to check their opening times.

At night, the gardens with the light bring a sort of dark, enigmatic atmosphere,

The following day, the sun shone, and the gardens were splendid.

The sun has always been great company to the flowers, and a few groups of children arrived with their teachers. It was the school holidays.

The gardens offer enjoyable experiences for both children and adults, because they always surprise the viewer, with different elements inside.

I could have stayed for hours soaking in all these lovely sights and surrounded by such a nurtured nature.

Inside the castle are rooms with exhibitions; alongside the permanent ones, the family Lagneau organizes contemporary ones with various subjects. The spirit of eclecticism followed me through the rooms, from classical objects to modern ones.

The giant crown with the precious colorful stones caught my attention. It makes you feel like a king or queen of the castle, even only for one day.

Before leaving with nostalgia these marvelous gardens and castle, you can purchase an excellent item from the gift shop. The rose soap smells like a natural rose, a scented reminder from the Château de Rivau.