Garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France Apr 29, 2025

The grass truly is greener on the other side—especially when that side is Château de Villandry. While the Loire Valley in France is packed with stunning châteaux (French for castles), Villandry stands apart, not for its towering turrets or medieval might, but for its gardens. Built in the 16th century by Jean le Breton, a minister to King Francis I, Villandry was always meant to impress. Unlike fortified castles built for war, it was designed for comfort, featuring large windows and an open, welcoming layout. Its gardens are arranged across terraces with distinct themes. The ornamental garden showcases geometric patterns like the one pictured here. The water garden offers a serene retreat and the vegetable garden turns everyday crops into artistic displays.

© Mint Images/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Apr 29, 2024Fujian Tulou, China
Apr 29, 2026Belém Tower, Lisbon, Portugal

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 16, 2025A traboule in Lyon, France
Aug 12, 2024African elephants, Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Jun 17, 2025Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States
Jul 26, 2025Mangrove trees, Walakiri Beach, island of Sumba, Indonesia
Oct 14, 2023Ring of fire solar eclipse
Aug 1, 2026Lava flows spill into the ocean on Big Island, Hawaii
Aug 24, 2024Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, USA
Mar 14, 2026Lanyon Quoit, a Neolithic dolmen in Cornwall, England
Jul 15, 2024Tateishi Park, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Aug 30, 2023Whale shark, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
Dec 17, 2024Reine, Norway
Jun 24, 2024Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
Nov 23, 2024Spiral aloe, Kangaroo Island, Australia
Jan 18, 2025Dunes at White Sands National Park, New Mexico
Nov 27, 2023Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil
Oct 16, 2023Golden larches and Prusik Peak, Enchantments, Washington, USA
July 26, 2026Red mangrove in the Pig Keys, Honduras
Sep 15, 2024Varenna on Lake Como, Italy
Aug 3, 2025Sunflowers
Jan 4, 2026Kings Mountain, Chugach Mountains, Alaska, United States
Jul 1, 2025Fishing village of Tilting, Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Jan 18, 2026White Sands National Park, New Mexico, United States
Sep 21, 2023Inside the Nobel Peace Centre, Oslo, Norway
Sep 22, 2025Aspen trees, Fishlake National Forest, Utah, United States
Mar 25, 2024Tulip fields in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
Dec 25, 2023Reindeer running in snow
Mar 18, 2026Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, Oregon, USA
Aug 5, 2024Lavender field, Hertfordshire, England
July 9, 2026Rice fields at Sapa, Lào Cai, Vietnam
Feb 18, 2026Przewalskis horses