Vallery brings together three cultural and historical highlights: Renaissance garden design, the history of the Château de Vallery, and the architectural and artistic history of the Church of Saint Thomas of Canterbury. These themes span different eras and let you explore the place according to your interests. It is especially helpful to distinguish between the garden grounds, the château complex, and the church: their historical dates do not describe the same property. Vallery’s cultural profile can therefore be understood through both its landscaped garden spaces and its architecture, former use, and works of art.
Renaissance Gardens and Summer Programme
The gardens of Vallery are considered a rare example of Renaissance garden design. The grounds include pools, canals, an embankment, and a monumental staircase. Alongside the clearly identified architectural features, the pools and canals show the garden’s diverse design. The gardens were designated as historic monuments in 1946. Cultural events are held there every summer; the specific programme may vary from year to year. If you would like to plan your trip around an event, check the dates for the summer in question. This lets you distinguish between the enduring focus on garden design and the seasonal occasion of a particular event.
Château de Vallery: Residence and Historic Monument Complex
The Château de Vallery dates from the 16th century and was formerly the residence of the Prince of Condé. In 2001, the complex was designated as a historic monument. In addition to the château, the designation includes the belvedere and the fortified enclosure; it therefore covers several named parts of the complex. The gardens, by contrast, have their own designation dating from 1946. The château currently serves as a wedding venue. If you are planning a visit, check access arrangements in advance.
Church of Saint Thomas of Canterbury
The Church of Saint Thomas of Canterbury was built between 1612 and 1614 at the initiative of Henri II de Condé. It was restored by Viollet-le-Duc in 1854. The church houses the mausoleum of Prince Henri II, a work by Gilles Guérin. These dates describe different aspects of the church’s history: its construction, a later restoration, and a specific work of art. Those interested in architecture can distinguish the dates of construction and restoration; the mausoleum adds a work by a named artist to the picture.
Historical Layers in Vallery
The dates should therefore not be read as a continuous construction history of a single property. 1946 and 2001 refer to the designations of the gardens and château complex, while 1612 to 1614 marks the construction of the church and 1854 its restoration. The 16th century, meanwhile, dates the château without dating the other phases of construction. These distinctions may help guide your choices: they take you from Renaissance garden design through the history of the residence to the church’s later restoration. The historic monument designation should be distinguished from the dates of construction and restoration.
Discover more destinations: Héry, Pierre-Perthuis, Beauvoir, Accolay, Druyes-Les-Belles-Fontaines, Saint-Julien-du-Sault, Lucy-sur-Yonne, Tanlay
For the overview of the wider region: Yonne.
