Establishment of the park 1884 (≈ 1884)
Park redesigned by Henri Duchêne.
1937
Partial classification
Partial classification 1937 (≈ 1937)
The Pommeraie classified by decree.
1955
Overall ranking
Overall ranking 1955 (≈ 1955)
All classified domain.
1992
Garden Festival
Garden Festival 1992 (≈ 1992)
Created by Jean-Paul Pigeat.
2007
Transfer to the region
Transfer to the region 2007 (≈ 2007)
Property transferred by the State.
2011
Label Outstanding Trees
Label Outstanding Trees 2011 (≈ 2011)
For the cedars in the park.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The castle : classification by list of 1840 - The buildings constituting the part of the estate called La Pommeraie (cad. A 718p, 719, 821 to 827, 828p): classification by decree of 29 July 1937 - The whole area (see Box A 25-28, 32-40, 41p, 42-44, 45p, 73p, 74p, 715, 716p, 718p, 783, 784p, 785-813, 816, 816bis, 818, 828p, 829, 830, 831p, 832p, 833, 834, 837-848, 849p, 850-902, 904-916, 917p, 918p, 919-927, 928p, 930p, 931-935): by order of 23 March 1955
Key figures
Henri Duchêne - Landscape
Designed the park in 1884.
Jean-Paul Pigeat - Founder of the festival
Created the Garden Festival.
Giuseppe Penone - Exposed Artist
Regular participant since 2008.
Origin and history
The Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, located on the banks of the Loire River in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been a public cultural cooperation establishment in the Centre-Val de Loire region since 2008. This prestigious site, acquired by one of the first territorial authorities to take over a national domain, combines heritage protection and contemporary creation. The castle, built in the 15th century, is surrounded by a landscaped park designed in 1884 by Henri Duchêne, integrating stables and outbuildings of the 16th and 19th centuries. The estate also houses the International Conservatory of Parks and Gardens and Landscape, highlighting its commitment to the preservation of horticultural know-how.
The domain is now dedicated to art and nature, with an annual programming centered on this link, including the International Gardens Festival, created in 1992 by Jean-Paul Pigeat. Exhibitions, installations and artistic events invest the castle, park and gardens, labeled Remarkable Garden and Trees remarkable for their centuries-old cedars. Since 2007, the region has managed this emblematic place, combining the development of the historical building (classified Historic Monument in 1840) and cultural dynamism, with international artists exhibited each year since 2008.
The park and stables, classified by successive stops (1937, 1955), complete a protected architectural ensemble, open to the public. The art seasons, organized since 2008, have welcomed major figures such as Giuseppe Penone, Sheila Hicks, or Lee Bae, while the garden festival attracts landscapers and artists exploring the interactions between art, nature and heritage. This dual heritage — historical and contemporary — makes Chaumont-sur-Loire a unique site, where the memory of the 15th, 16th and 19th centuries dialogues with the creations of the 21st century.
The castle and its estate also illustrate the evolution of the uses of the Loire castles, from aristocratic residences to public cultural spaces. The Centre-Val de Loire region, by acquiring the site, has inscribed its management in a logic of territorial development, combining tourism, education and artistic innovation. The labels obtained (UNESCO, Remarkable Garden) and the attendance at the festival confirm its influence, both national and international.
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Future
Open all year round.
The International Gardens Festival is open from April to October.
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