The Marqueyssac Gardens in Dordogne are the most visited gardens in the Southwest of France.
The first time I visited them in September 2012, I was absolutely dazzled! The beauty and charm of the perfectly manicured hedges and the stunning views left a lasting impression on me.
Join me as I take you through these enchanting gardens, sharing my personal experiences and highlights from this magical place.
The Marqueyssac Gardens Hanging Above the Dordogne
Laid out on a rocky spur overlooking the Dordogne Valley between La Roque-Gageac and Beynac, the Marqueyssac gardens cover an area of 22ha.
The terrace gardens’ charm has delighted visitors for the last three centuries, and Marqueyssac has undoubtedly become one of France’s most beautiful Italian-style gardens.
The gardens of Marqueyssac castle consist of over six kilometres of shaded alleys, edged by 150,000 hand-pruned, one-hundred-year-old box trees, and adorned with belvederes, rockeries, waterways, grassy clearings, dry-stone huts, rotunda, a Gothic chapel, and playgrounds for the children.
The Chateau
In front of the 18th-century chateau, the main terrace is arranged in a geometric pattern, symbolising the symmetry of the two central bodies of the castle.
Built with great simplicity, the chateau is topped by a roof made of ‘Lauze’ (limestone slabs), typical of Périgord, and weighing more than 500 tonnes.
The box trees
The spectacular bastion terrace comprises numerous box trees carefully pruned by the estate’s four gardening employees, and cypress trees give the landscape structure.
The box trees are all sculpted in curves to mimic the roundness of the surrounding hills, and it can be rather enjoyable to get lost along the winding paths of this green labyrinth.
Once past the bastion terrace, you can choose three walkways through the Holm oak woods leading to the Belvedere.
Box trees are left to grow more freely, and various side pathways allow walkers to move from one track to another on the way to the Belvedere.
While the gardens of Marqueyssac overlook the Dordogne Valley from high limestone cliffs, it is at the belvedere one can enjoy one of the most splendid panoramas of the meandering river running 130 metres below.
From the lookout point, originally laid out by Julien de Cerval, the view encompasses the whole valley, from the castles of Beynac, Castelnaud and Fayrac to the village of La Roque-Gageac.
History of the Suspended Gardens
Julien de Cerval dedicated the last 30 years to creating a haven of peace in Marqueyssac by transforming the estate he inherited in 1861 into a beautiful residence and a utopian garden.
The former jurist from Sarlat was a passionate gardener and a great expert in Italian-style gardens and agronomy, which he marvellously recreated in Marqueyssac, with its terraces and ornamental trees such as cypress, elm, Judas, umbrella and lime.
Julien de Cerval designed this garden for his enjoyment, to write poems in it amongst this romantic site dominated by soft, fresh green and the delicate perfume of box trees, santolina, rosemary and lavender.
Visitors can stroll around the gardens without a guide thanks to illustrated signs and panels that provide information on the site’s history and the fauna and flora throughout the park.
It is also possible to follow a guide between April and September for no extra cost.
The domain also features a boutique and a “salon de thé” (open from Easter to the end of October), offering spectacular views over Beynac Castle.
How to get to Marqueyssac
The Dordogne Valley is easily accessible by car from Paris, Bordeaux and Toulouse via the A20 and A89 autoroutes (French for motorways).
If you travel from Australia or America, you could fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle, travel by TGV from the airport station straight to Bordeaux and rent a car from there.
The TGV from Paris-Gare de Montparnasse takes 3 hours to Bordeaux. An SNCF coach links Sarlat to Libourne’s train station with direct trains to Bordeaux.
For more information about the Marqueyssac Gardens, visit the official website.
