Perched on the cliff top overlooking the Dordogne Valley is the Château de Marqueyssac. The views from this 17th-century château are spectacular enough but the gardens leave you breathless. This is not just because the undulating pathways run to almost five kilometres, it’s the content that catches the eye. There is an English saying ‘to box clever,’ meaning to behave in a clever and sometimes slightly dishonest way to try to achieve a result you want. These wonderful gardens give a whole different meaning to that phrase by using box hedging to achieve forms of both architectural and natural beauty.


After a somewhat checkered history, this delightful château was rescued by Kleber Rossillon in 1996. This new owner restored the gardens while being careful to retain their original character. It was obviously a labour of love because the gardens boast over 150,000 trees (including Box); some 30,000 shrubs and been replaced or newly planted. In 1997 the gardens were classified amongst the Notable Gardens of France by the Committee of Parks and Gardens of the French Ministry of Culture.


We visited these gardens in February, not the best time to fully appreciate the beauty that abounds. You will see that fact reflected in the photos taken by my photographer friend Reza Amirinia that populate this article. We were shown round by a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable young lady called Stephanie. The undulating waves of an ocean were clearly the inspiration for some of the topiary. Other vistas take on the shape of flocks of sheep. While different forms and sizes of box abound they are not the only inhabitants of this cliff top haven, Italian Umbrella Pines mix with Cypress and lovely Lime trees. An alley of Santolina (holy flax) and Rosemary has been added and, most recently, an arched walkway has been planted up and uses very attractive wooden supports.


There are other features to enjoy atop of these limestone cliffs. The most stunning for views is certainly the Belvedere of the Dordogne. From 130 metres above the river valley you can certainly see why this area of France is so popular with tourists. The beauty is breathtaking. There is a cascade of water from the Belvedere that tumbles down and divides into two waterfalls. Hidden amongst the foliage are some very individual works of art and a pretty little chapel can also be found in the grounds.


You will not be surprised to know that there is a large Gift Shop but the things on offer are rather more unique than most of the gift shops I have visited. Tempted as I was I managed to escape empty handed. After all that walking and fresh air where better to relax and refresh than in the Tea Room and Ice Cream Parlour. They are obviously kept very busy during those long summer days.




I didn’t really mention the Château de Marqueyssac very much but the building was undergoing some serious maintenance. The roof is made of individually laid stone slates and weighs in at a modest 300 tons. It was the cleaning and relaying of these tiles that was taking place.

GETTING THERE

While extremely beautiful and overflowing with historic buildings, this area of France is not easy to reach by public transport. The nearest railway station is Sarlat but that is 9 kilometres away from the château. On arrival your only option is go the rest of the way by taxi (or of course bicycle).

The airport of Brive seems to be the closest at 60 kilometres. The airports of Limoges and Bordeau are 130 kilometres and 160 kilometres respectively distant from the château.

By car is probably the best option even if you do a Fly – Drive from one of the above airports. Be warned, the roads, while very scenic are not built for speed so leave plenty of time and just enjoy the whole experience.

To find out a whole lot more about the Château de Marqueyssac and it’s gardens please visit www.marqueyssac.com.