Each season has its own charm. But while spring and summer steal the limelight, Françoise’s favourite season is autumn – its light, she says, is the perfect time to view this garden with its abundant fruit trees, dotted by classic and modern statuary. 

 

After she’s talked you around the garden, sit in one of the alcoves or at one of the wrought-iron tables on the lawn to soak in the views, or wander the secret pathways and hidden nooks and crannies at your leisure. 

 

Then stroll down to Brécy’s unpretentious Restaurant de la Vallée, for regional cooking and a glass of locally produced champagne. Alternatively, the nearby Chateau de Fère has a gastronomic restaurant with artworks of its own – based on the fables of local writer Jean de Fontaine – plus a ruined medieval castle to amble around.

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