Henry II had offered the Château de…

Henry II had offered the Château de Chenonceaux, after the death of King Francis in 1547, as a gift to his father’s mistress, Diane de Poitiers, who had soon become fervently attached to the château along the River Cher.

Diane is the unquestioned mistress of the castle, but ownership had remained with the crown until 1555, when years of delicate legal maneuvers finally yielded possession to her.

She has Delorme construct the arched bridge from 1556 to 1559, joining the château to its opposite bank.

She now oversees the planting of extensive flower and vegetable gardens along with a variety of fruit trees.

Set along the banks of the river, but buttressed from flooding by stone terraces, the exquisite gardens are laid out in four triangles.