Parc Botanique du Prieuré d'Orchaise-Jardins Treuille

Type :

Arboretum
Botanical collections

Around its Romanesque bell tower, this botanic garden presents over 2,200 trees and shrubs from all over the world, including extremely rare specimens collected by a great traveller, Hubert Treuille. The collection of shrubby and herbaceous peonies, rhododendrons, magnolias, irises, Japanese maple trees etc. is impressive. Each season brings its different flowers, barks, leaves and scents. Along the walk are two basins, which are home to mother-of-pearl water lilies and goldfish. In the distance, the foliage of Blois Forest deploys its changing harmonies. Also to be enjoyed is the statue of “La Transparente”, by Romanian sculptor Christian Breazu. The park was awarded First Prize by the Société Nationale d'Horticulture de France (1993). The foundations of the buildings are very ancient, but the current architecture of the Priory is in a composite style: the Hundred Years War caused great damage and the buildings were reconstructed in the XVth century and then completed in the XIXth century in the neogothic style. Between the two world wars, this was the home of Gabriel Hanotaux, the famous historian and Minister for Foreign Affairs.