ART & ARCHITECTURE / LES JARDINS DE MARQUEYSSAC / VÉZAC
The region of la Dordogne is one of the most romantic and unspoiled in France. Unlike its neighbour Bordeaux, Dordogne flies a bit more under the radar for most people. Its many castles and manor houses bear witness of its rich history, as the river (that rises in the Massif du Sancy and meets the Gironde near Bordeaux) flows which has given the region its name flows past small villages and farm land. The capital is the town of Perigueux, which is why the French often informally refer to the area instead of as “le Périgord”. The Marqueyssac Gardens are in the Périgord noir, in the south part of the region, considered the classic Dordogne.
The gardens are a spectacular site to visit, often referred to as “the soul of Périgord noir”: over six kilometres of shaded pathways, lined with 150,000 hand-pruned boxwoods, offering panoramic views of the entire Dordogne Valley. Three of the paths lead to le Belvédère, which is a cliff 800 metres from the chateau, 192 metres high and 130 metres above the river below. The paths are built around a small castle, which in its current form dates back to the late 18th century, around the time of the French revolution. The gardens were created by Julien de Cerval in the years following 1861, when he returned to France after defending the Papal States.
Boxwoods have been used in European gardens since at least Roman Antiquity and an integral part of the Italian culture that de Cerval was so invested in. The garden became his life’s work, merging his interest in Italy with his French heritage and thus creating what is widely considered one of the finest examples of 19th century gardens. Throughout the years, his original plans have been both preserved and added to, and today there are also small staircases, three drystone huts, a large esplanade, rock gardens and benches carved into the rocks.
