France Garden Hotel Short Breaks

 
Normandy Garden Short Break: As the name suggests, Normandy is very much part of Northern Europe and is best visited in spring. It then has something of the character of Southern England but is less busy and more peaceful. One can drive along quiet roads to tranquil chateau gardens with few other visitors. Château de Brecy, Château de Canon

Loire Garden Short Break: Known as the ‘Garden of France’ the Loire Valley has attracted builders of great chateaux and makers of large gardens. The central section of the valley was declared a World Heritage Site in 2000. An airport and car-hire facility at Tours combined with a network of good quiet roads makes it an attractive destination for a fly-drive vacation. Garden visitors are attracted to: Château de Chenonceau, Château de Villandry, Chaumont and Chateau Amboise

Parisian Garden Short Break: Paris was the cultural capital of Europe from the mid-seventeenth to the mid-eighteenth century and has great gardens dating from this period, some within the city and some outside. Paris also put great effort into its nineteenth century parks and in the twentieth century made better new parks than any of Europe’s other capital cities. Driving in the Paris area (ie inside the Périphérique beltway ring-road) is not recommended and is not necessary: France has a well-subsidized and excellent railway network with all the lines converging on Paris. We recommend two short breaks for Paris: one for gardens inside the Périphérique and and one for gardens outside the Périphérique.