Parc et Jardin à la française du Château d'Eu

On the Alabaster Coast, the park and formal French garden of the Château d’Eu offers a journey back in time. The history of the chateau started in the 17th century when La Grande Mademoiselle (the Duchess of Montpensier) became the owner and began to design the French-landscape garden. Louis-Philippe will continue her work in the 19th century and design an English-style garden behind the park as well as the ice house situated west of the French formal garden. The architect Viollet-le-Duc played a major role in modernising the site, adding new buildings and restoring the fountain.

As I am fond of history and heritage, visiting the Château d’Eu and its grounds seemed like a must-do. I arrived on a pleasant summer morning and I discovered the chateau bathed in the morning light. The building is majestic and I could easily imagine how it was in Louis-Philippe's time. I walked around the chateau following a cobbled path all the way to the entrance of the formal French garden. I have always loved the layout of formal French gardens for their symmetry, their precision and their elegance. The garden is separated by two central paths with a fountain in the middle. While I walked up the path, I admired the hedges surrounding it in which beautiful roses were blooming. I could hear the sound of the water flowing and I immersed myself in this pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. I was under the spell of the beautiful perspectives of this garden, and the more I walked the more I discovered other points of views. When I reached the fountain, I turned around to enjoy an incredible view of the château. The sun was still low in the sky and it illuminated the back of the chateau providing it with beautiful reflections. At the end of each path, there is a Greek statue standing above an information panel explaining the history of these gods and goddesses. I reached the end of the garden, which is bordered by a low stone wall. I saw a second garden below, this time it was an English-style garden. It contrasted completely with the rigour of the first garden I visited.

I walked towards the English-style garden, which is set in a green and bucolic setting. Trees surround the body of water in which a couple of swans and their cygnets were swimming! This area is surrounded by a thick beech grove. I strolled slowly along the water while daydreaming. I particularly appreciated this setting that seemed so far away from civilisation. I even sat in the grass to take in the landscape and enjoy the beautiful colours of nature.

Now, off to visit the chateau!