Formal garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France Apr 29, 2025

Formal garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France

The grass truly is greener on the other side—especially when that side is Château de Villandry. While the Loire Valley in France is packed with stunning châteaux (French for castles), Villandry stands apart, not for its towering turrets or medieval might, but for its gardens. Built in the 16th century by Jean le Breton, a minister to King Francis I, Villandry was always meant to impress. Unlike fortified castles built for war, it was designed for comfort, featuring large windows and an open, welcoming layout. Its gardens are arranged across terraces with distinct themes. The ornamental garden showcases geometric patterns like the one pictured here. The water garden offers a serene retreat, and the vegetable garden turns everyday crops into artistic displays.

© Mint Images/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Apr 29, 2018National Park Week: Olympic National Park, Washington
Apr 29, 2019New beginnings
Apr 29, 2020Spring comes to the Palouse
Apr 29, 2022Arbor Day
Apr 29, 2023Astronomy Day
Apr 29, 2024Fujian Tulou, China

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 23, 2025Mount Fuji Day
Apr 1, 2024April Fools Day
Oct 3, 2018Monarch butterflies migrate south
Dec 2, 2023Angkor, Cambodia
May 17, 2024Endangered Species Day
Apr 16, 2025Anniversary of Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah
Nov 1, 2023Native American Heritage Month
Feb 8, 2018The Cordillera de la Sal in the Cordillera Domeyko Range of Chile
Jan 12, 2018Al-Khazneh in Petra, Jordan
Aug 9, 2021A tribute to the ancestors
May 9, 2022Göreme, Cappadocia, Turkey
Sep 4, 2023Labor Day
Jun 16, 2021Put your flippers in the air…
Jul 3, 2023The dog days of summer
Aug 14, 2023World Lizard Day
Jan 13, 2018Fire-damaged forest near Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado
Dec 11, 2020Mountains fit for a queen
Feb 11, 2026Death Valley National Parks Anniversary
May 1, 2019Purple flowers and Golden Week
Mar 5, 2024Bangkok, Thailand
Aug 23, 2021A little blue
Nov 9, 2019We heart Berlin
Mar 25, 2023Cecil Brewer Staircase, London
Aug 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California
Feb 14, 2021An oceanic valentine
Jul 30, 2023Palouse farmland, Washington state
Mar 20, 2022World Frog Day
Jan 21, 2018Red squirrel in Cairngorms National Park, Scotland
Oct 11, 2024Celtic Colours International Festival, Canada
Aug 21, 2022International Lighthouse Weekend