The Chateau and gardens of Villandry…

The next Chateau to visit was the amazing Villandry; I was surprised to discover that the gardens at this Chateau are, relatively speaking, a new addition having been created in 1906 by the owner Joachim Carvallo. I say relatively new because the Chateau dates back to the 16th century, although there existed a defensive structure on the site  dating from the 14th century.

Like all the Chateaux in the Loire Valley, Villandry is a World Heritage Site, and one of the most visited Chateaux in France.

The Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
The stunning gardens at Villandry… © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
The Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
The Chateau in black and white… © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
The Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
For this image, I used a 10 stop Neutral Density filter to lengthen the exposure to 30 seconds… © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
The Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
A four image panoramic stitch… © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
The Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
Another 30 second exposure…this enables most of the other tourist visitors to blur away…as long as they keep moving! © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
The Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
Two images stitched together… © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
Gardens at the Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
Colour and shapes… © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
The Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
The gardens are over multiple terraces… © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
Fish at Gardens at the Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
One of the residents… © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
Gardens at the Château de Villandry, a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.
This hedge reminds me of a butterfly in it’s shape © Michael Evans Photographer 2013

Lunch again consisted of a beautiful baguette and some cheese…We finished the day in Tours by visiting the Cathedral, and then headed onto our excellent accommodation the Chambres D’Hotes Bagatelle in Vouvray – highly recommended, though do be aware that like a lot these guesthouses’, you cannot actually check in until 6pm.

Tours Cathedral exterior
Tours Cathedral © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
Tours Cathedral stained glass
Tours Cathedral stained glass © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
Chambres D'Hotes Bagatelle in Vouvray
Chambres D’Hotes Bagatelle in Vouvray – great hosts and a really nice place to stay and from which to explore the area. Canon IXUS 125 HS © Michael Evans Photographer 2013
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