Le Rivau joins the Loire Châteaux network

Published on 19 June 2017 - Updated 19 July 2017
Cet article date d'il y a plus de 6 ans

On 4 June last, Eric and Patricia Laigneau, who own Château du Rivau, and François Bonneau, President of Mission Val de Loire, signed a partnership agreement formalising Château du Rivau’s membership of the Loire Châteaux network facilitated by Mission Val de Loire. The network now includes 22 heritage sites.

Château du Rivau

The Rivau estate, with its medieval castle, Renaissance stables and servants’ quarters, forms a unique architectural complex set off by its spectacular gardens. 

The Château’s gardens are designed to evoke the themes of medieval fairy tales and legends, with 14 innovative areas including Gargantua’s Kitchen Garden (Grand Prix at the 2016 Innovative Kitchen Garden competition), Tom Thumb’s Garden, the Lovers’ Woods, the Scented Walkway and the Paradise Orchard. Their owners have spent over 20 years creating the very special atmosphere that reigns over them, combining medieval inspiration and contemporary artworks. They have amassed a collection of outstanding interest, positioning the estate as an acknowledged leader in the sector. 

The Rivau Gardens obtained the “Jardin Remarquable” (Remarkable Garden) label in 2005. The estate’s roses are above all renowned for their fragrance, with close to 450 scented varieties, and are registered at the Conservatory of Specialised Plant Collections (CCVS). 

Château du Rivau has been awarded the “Qualité tourisme” (Quality Tourism) and “Accueil Vélo” (Cyclists Welcome) national labels. 

www.chateaudurivau.com  

The Loire Châteaux network

The network was set up in 2007 and an initial constitutive charter was signed in January 2008. It is facilitated by Mission Val de Loire in partnership with regional and départemental tourism institutions. 

The network’s activities are developed in concrete, operational fashion in three fields of cooperation: 

  • promotional action (website and press relations)
  • the “Qualité tourisme” (Quality Tourism) initiative
  • implementation of shared cultural projects

The latter takes the form of organisation of cultural seasons that also bring other partners into play. 

The 2017 “Gardens in the Loire Valley” season has brought together a full 70 partners, including 16 of the network’s châteaux. On the occasion of the “Rendez-vous aux jardins” (Rendezvous in the Gardens) held on the 1st weekend of June, François Bonneau, President of the Centre-Val de Loire Region and of Mission Val de Loire, set off to acquaint himself with actions implemented in Indre-et-Loire, at Château de la Bourdaisière (Montlouis-sur-Loire), Edouard André Park (La Croix-en-Touraine) and Château du Rivau (Lémeré). 

http://loire-chateaux.org  

http://jardins-valdeloire.com/  

Recent news on the network

By a Decree of 2 May 2017, the Prime Minister added Château d’Angers to the highly prestigious list of national estates, in which Chambord is also included. The Law of 7 July 2016 bearing on freedom of creation, architecture and heritage, defines a national estate as a “property complex having an exceptional link with the Nation’s history”. 

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