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Added on the 04/04/2022 17:49:00 - Copyright : France 24 EN
With its 2,500 castles, the Loire Valley is the cradle of the French Renaissance. But this priceless heritage requires constant maintenance. With state-of the-art technology, as well as historical research and know-how, French artists and craftspeople are innovating to return these gems of the past to their original state. We take a closer look.
Since the end of the 18th century, the French-style gardens of the Château de Chambord, in France's Loire Valley, had disappeared. But months of hard work have brought these 6.5 hectares back to life. From lawns to flowerbeds and rows of trees, FRANCE 24 takes you behind the scenes of a model of perfection where there is no room for approximation.
More than 500 years after his death, Leonardo da Vinci's legacy lives on in the castles of France's Loire Valley. The Italian genius spent the last three years of his life at the court of King Francis I, in Amboise. Today, volunteers are bringing the Château d'Amboise back to life by recreating royal balls there. At the Clos Lucé, which was da Vinci's residence, the chef brings 16th-century recipes up to date. Finally, in the nooks and crannies of the Château de Chambord, a researcher tirelessly tracks down every trace of the legendary artist.
The vegetable garden of the Château de Villandry, with its 27,000 spring vegetables, is one of the stars of France's Loire Valley. For more than 20 years, it's been a UNESCO World Heritage site. The gardeners will soon need to plant the summer flowers: it's a race against the clock. Meanwhile, at the Château de Rivau, visitors can discover the beautiful scents of some 460 different varieties of roses. We also check out other charming gardens in the Touraine region, in Beaulieu-lès-Loches and in Chaumont-sur-Loire. An unforgettable sensory experience.
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