tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post5292568413102766023..comments2024-03-19T11:13:18.852+00:00Comments on a house in france: CHAUMONT-SUR-LOIREJeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-47426880179985857722013-12-04T23:34:47.423+00:002013-12-04T23:34:47.423+00:00Some of the gardens work for me and some don't...Some of the gardens work for me and some don't. You get an awful lot of garden for your 11€ - not just the festival gardens, but the whole new bit at the top and the potager. Far more than I can manage now. The permanent plantings have some imaginative combinations of plants too. I wish they signposted the south carpark a bit better, that is to say I wish they signposted it full stop. P.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16439261142732764451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-84480856066176483782013-12-04T03:02:29.918+00:002013-12-04T03:02:29.918+00:00The garden was, indeed, "interesting." B...The garden was, indeed, "interesting." But full price for stale bread is a perfect image.<br /><br />blessings and Bear hugs!Rob-bearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00171692478879522588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-79148692642620197012013-12-03T20:48:02.798+00:002013-12-03T20:48:02.798+00:00The artificial flowers are quite odd but each to t...The artificial flowers are quite odd but each to their own.... Not sure I would like the wardrobe front in our small garden but if it was bigger it could be interesting. Have a good week DianeRhodesiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00159888599601532530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-17086599674206040162013-12-03T18:28:30.009+00:002013-12-03T18:28:30.009+00:00I tend to like quirky art and design, but this wou...I tend to like quirky art and design, but this would have left me disappointed (and not at all happy given the € 11 entry fee). But I do love the wardrobe front (like you, sans lingerie).Moving with Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12954028272162285597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-30707831562275782122013-12-03T16:53:25.320+00:002013-12-03T16:53:25.320+00:00Martine, I will remember your tip about the restau...Martine, I will remember your tip about the restaurants next time.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-23657182458697018992013-12-03T16:51:03.956+00:002013-12-03T16:51:03.956+00:00We did feel a bit like we were being charged full ...We did feel a bit like we were being charged full price for stale bread!<br />I fancy going again in early summer, when the plants will be at their best.Jeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726164724131916224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-16329488833872285102013-12-03T15:35:59.590+00:002013-12-03T15:35:59.590+00:00What a shame. We visited the gardens twice: in the...What a shame. We visited the gardens twice: in the early 2000 and last year - each time in the beginning of June (the best time of year, I guess) and found it well worth our while. If you want to splash out on a meal there, avoid the Comptoir Méditerranien and go for the Grand Velum. The Comptoir used to be good, but last year it was just cheap and flavourless pasta. The Grand Velum is 'real restaurant', with real waiters! Can be a bit expensive though, depending on what takes your fancy. Martineladybirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05690656561242165157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-18147223690643633492013-12-03T10:58:23.424+00:002013-12-03T10:58:23.424+00:00The garden festival at Chaumont varies from year t...The garden festival at Chaumont varies from year to year. There are always a few where the reality and the concept don't quite get it together, a few where the concept is so pretentious you wonder why they are working with gardens and not some other art form. But there are always a few with funny, quirky ideas that would be totally transferrable to real gardens. Some years it can be dire, but others it is a real treat. One of the reasons I like it is that the gardens have to be real gardens, to last from April to October. They change all the time, just like a real garden would, and unlike garden festivals such as Chelsea. The permanent plantings which fill the gaps between gardens are also very good. I definitely recommend going there slightly earlier in the season when the weather is better and either taking a picnic or eating there. The food is good (not cheap but not too outrageous). Did you visit the new section? The old park is also very good, and full of wonderful sculpture and plants as art. Personally I think the price is realistic, but a lot of people complain about it as although the festival has never been free, the park used to be. For comparison, Villandry is €6.50 for just the garden, and is a smaller area which (I assume) welcomes many more visitors. Villandry covers all its costs with its entry fees, but it is very unlikely that Chaumont does.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06472449597146519943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4785675986457392622.post-62612042167491139902013-12-01T12:31:23.199+00:002013-12-01T12:31:23.199+00:00I balk at paying to see a garden and if I do I wan...I balk at paying to see a garden and if I do I want it to be full of fabulous ornamental plants, not garden sculpture. Thank you for going and reporting so we don't have to!<br /><br />That said, the garden at Apremont-sur-Allier was worth every euro cent and I'd love to go back. Also, I'd be happy to dig deep into my pocket to see a few English-style gardens in Normandy if we're ever in France during their peak. But on the whole, I get my gardening fix in France walking through flowery villages or looking over the fence at potagers.<br /><br />Carolynnoreply@blogger.com