Acquired in the early 1500’s by Jean Le Breton, France’s Controller-General for War under King Francois I, a new château was constructed around the original 14th-century keep where King Philip II of France once met Richard I of England (“the Lionhearted”) to discuss peace.
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In 1906, Dr. Joachim Carvallo purchased the property and poured an enormous amount of time, money and devotion into repairing the castle and creating what many consider to be the most beautiful gardens anywhere.
Still owned by the Carvallo family, the Château de Villandry is open to the public and is one of the most visited castles in France.
If you have Windows Media Player and high speed internet you can watch my movie of Villandry ( http://www.overthebrink.com/aquitaine/Villandry.wmv )
http://www.chateauvillandry.fr/en/