The gardens of the Château de Poncé are located in the new town of Loir en Vallée, in Sarthe, 8 km northwest of La Chartre-sur-le-Loir.
Located in the eponymous village of Poncé, the castle was built in 1542 for Jean de Chambray in a Renaissance style inspired by the castle of Azay-le-Rideau (with a strong Italian influence).
The estate remained in the same family for four centuries, and it was restored in the 20th century by new owners, the Latron-Flandrins.
The whole is protected as historical monuments.
The exteriors include on the one hand French gardens and on the other an Italian garden and are labeled "Remarkable Garden".
At the bottom, a regular garden can be seen with a 6-meter-high bower which leads the visitor into a labyrinth dotted with rooms of greenery and small ponds.
Above, a terrace shaded by lime trees runs along a large neo-Gothic wall built in 1830: this is the Caroline Terrace, named after the then owner's wife, Amédée de Nonant. This "madness" (according to the architectural term) built in bricks and stones leans against the tuffeau cliff and is staged on three levels. It incorporates the remains of the feudal castle. From the Caroline terrace, you can appreciate even more the harmony of this part of the park which integrates the arbor drawn in the Renaissance.
In the 20th century, between the two wars, a second more intimate Italian-style garden was laid out below the park, at the rear of the château.
The property is private and its owner, a painter, also offers tours and exhibitions. Open from April to September and by reservation for groups the rest of the year. Price: 4.50 and 6 euros. Information on +33 6 72 80 67 35.
