From Beaugency

58 km from Chaumont-sur-Loire

58 minutes by road, 19 km of it on the A10.

58 minutes from here, 19 km of it on the A10.

A château, its stables, and gardens rebuilt every year

Chaumont is not visited like the others. There is the château and its stables, once among the most luxurious in Europe. Above all there is the International Garden Festival, which hands some thirty plots to landscape designers from around the world on a set theme, and starts again the following year. Nothing is ever the same twice.

Add to that contemporary art installations scattered through the estate, including in places you would not expect.

Allow half a day. And stop on the terrace: the view over the Loire justifies the drive on its own.

A base away from the crowd

Chaumont fills up in season, and accommodation nearby books a long way ahead. We are less than an hour away, available later, and at small-town prices.

A day in the gardens at thirty degrees

It ends better in an air-conditioned room . All 32 of ours are, each with its own control.

And the pool is open until 9.30pm, from 1 June to 30 September — which is most of the festival season.

The pool, heated to 27 °C.

Opening times and admission prices change every season: see the official site of the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Chaumont-sur-Loire?

57.8 km, about 58 minutes.

Is the Garden Festival worth the drive?

It changes every year and runs from spring to autumn. Allow half a day on site.