Formal garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France Apr 29, 2025

Formal garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France

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, 2018National Park Week: Olympic National Park, Washington
Apr 29, 2019New beginnings
Apr 29, 2020Spring comes to the Palouse
Apr 29, 2022Arbor Day
Apr 29, 2023Astronomy Day
Apr 29, 2024Fujian Tulou, China
Apr 29, 2026Belém Tower, Lisbon, Portugal

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 27, 2026International Polar Bear Day
Aug 26, 2020Spotted Lake emerges
Dec 21, 2018Paper lanterns on the longest night
Jul 13, 2021Through an artist s eyes
Nov 12, 2022Alaska Bald Eagle Festival
Jan 3, 2022Lick Observatory
Jul 2, 2025Spine-cheeked anemonefish in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea
Dec 31, 2021New Year s Eve
Jul 24, 2023Cousins Day
Oct 13, 2022Alaska moose
Feb 7, 2025Blue hour in Trondheim, Norway
Mar 25, 2023Cecil Brewer Staircase, London
Jan 15, 2019A personal collection becomes an institution
Aug 21, 2023Discovery Day in Yukon, Canada
Jun 7, 2018Humpbacks return to the Inside Passage
Jan 19, 2024Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Mar 2, 2018Satellite image of sand and seaweed in the Bahamas
Jul 16, 2025Temple of Philae, Aswan, Egypt
Oct 14, 2024Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day
Nov 6, 2019Saffron in bloom
Nov 28, 2018Christmas comes to New York City
Nov 1, 2025National Bison Day
Feb 13, 2022American bison
Feb 13, 2025Lake Tyrrell, Victoria, Australia
Sep 27, 2018High seas commerce
Apr 16, 2022National Park Week begins
Jul 1, 2023The Tour de France begins
Sep 26, 2018Art in the chapel
Sep 9, 2024Iguazu Falls at the border of Argentina and Brazil
Oct 9, 2020Falling for Tennessee