2012 Chaumont Garden Festival

The theme for this years Garden Festival at Chateau Chaumont-sur-Loire has been announced. The 2012 Festival will run from April 25th  until the 14th October with the theme "Gardens of Delight, gardens delusions"

Last year ( 2011 ) we visited  Chaumont garden festival in late April to check it out at an earlier stage,normally we'd wait until the gardens are well established. We were not sure if we would be disappointed with the plantings perhaps not being mature enough but where we could see that there was quite a bit to look forward to, the gardens were still a delight. We will not be able to look at a wooden crate again without thinking of skyscrapers - inspired.

A visit to the festival is a very good day out - if you haven't been you should try it.

The four seasons...

The Loire Valley is not just for summer, part of this beautiful region's charm is that unlike some parts of the country it has clearly defined seasons, Not many people would choose to take their annual holidays in mid-winter but thankfully here this season isn't very long and before we know it spring is bursting around us! Below are various seasonal photographs to hopefully give you a taste of what the experience is like.

Spring by L'etang de la Forge near Chambon in Southern Touraine

Sunflowers of summer near Loches.

Wild flowers outside of autumn in field near Barrou...

. See more autumn pics here...

Winter roofs in Le grand Pressigny

See more winter pics.here...

A walk around...Montresor

 Click here to view...