gardens of marqueyssac

Next to Roque Gageac are the topiary gardens of Marqueyssac. But even though the topiaries are impressive, there is so much more. If you like walking, take an 1.5 to 2 hours and wander these natural grounds overlooking the Dordogne river and Roque Gageac. there are little follies along the way like Bories and secret garden spots with great views. Shady, mossy and relatively quiet (the grounds 22 Ha). If you do this walk in the morning, you will time it perfectly for an alfresco lunch from their cafe with views across to Beynac. I was originally unsure if we could fit this into our timetable, but so glad we did.

We visited the gardens in June last year. It is well worth going just for the views over the Dordogne. We were especially interested to identify St Julien the village where we were staying across the the valley. We followed the series of paths through the gardens to each of the spectacular panoramic views Gardeners were busy working on the miles of boxwood hedging which was beautifully manicured.

We loved these gardens, there is a tour but we decided to go it alone and really enjoyed it. The walk is meant to be a mile or so, but it doesn't feel that long as there is so much to look at along the way. Get to the every end of the garden which will take about half an hour and you get the most fantastic view of the Dordogne. There is also a great restaurant near the exit/entrance. It doesn't open till 12noon but serves really good food. There is also a family of peacocks walking round and they will come up to you whilst you are eating. It was kind of magical feeding the young ones.Thought my hubby might take some lessons from the perfectly manicured hedges, but alas he has not.

Check out the website and you will not want to miss these gardens. Wonderful views of the surrounding valley and nearby chateaus.

To set the scene we were with 4 kids (4 through to 11) on a hot August day. We went expecting to spend a few hours and ended up spending the whole day. Fantastic place for the kids to run around and lots of activities. Rock climbing, painting, huts to explore, playgrounds, trails etc. Lots of shade so good on a hot day. Views were amazing. Tips:Is fine to bring small picnic lunch - some nice spots to enjoy as long as you don't expect to lay out your hamper! Lots of water as you should expect to walk 3-4km in total end to end

We didn't have much time so we only saw the first part of the garden, which was simply stunning. The view from up there is amazing as well under the October sun.

We were really looking forward to visiting the gardens as the tourists brochures had identified it as one of the highlights of the Dordogne. Unfortunately, it transpired to be extremely disappointing, as some previous reviewers have stated. The brochure shows some manicured box wood gardens (not many!) and basically, that's all there is. Admittedly, there were some pleasant walks along lengthy pathways and the occasional stunning view of the river and valley, but in the main we walked amongst trees with no views whatsoever. Reaching the restaurant and in need of some refreshment, we were ignored by the waiting staff, who repeatedly walked past our table as if we weren't there. Perhaps we should have said our 'Excusez-moi' a little louder. One to avoid.

For fans of topiary, with an emphasis on immaculately groomed boxwoods....hundreds of thousands of them...this is a lovely stop for a visit on a clear day.From the Belvedere, you can see the fields and other chateaux in the distance, giving an idea of the way it must have looked centuries ago.If beautiful paths and a leisurely walk are on your agenda...this is a good idea.

We visited these gardens six years ago and found they remained one of our most enduring and enjoyable memories of a wide-ranging European trip. Today's visit confirmed and refreshed our appreciation of their fascinating beauty. We did not visit the Chateau (too many steps for our dodgy knees) but walked the 1.5km length of the plateau along the cliff path, marvelling at the views over the Dordogne valley to numerous castles and lovely scenery and returning via the poets aisle and the grand walk to the outdoor cafe for lunch and a glass of wine in front of one of the best views in southern France. The gardens have an intriguing history, though the experience of quietly walking through an ever-unfolding beautiful garden requires no further explanation, really.

We arrived at 10am and spent until noon looking around the gardens; we enjoyed the lovely clipped box hedges, local oaks and the wonderful vistas of the river and surrounding countryside from the belvedere. We finished off with lunch at their café, the food was excellent (especially their salads) and the portion sizes very generous. The staff spoke excellent English. A nice way to spend a pleasant few hours near Sarlat. We felt there could have been signs in English to make the visit even more enjoyable. There is an excellent shop at the end selling lots of books etc on the area. Don’t come in the middle of the day – it gets very hot!

I was disappointed with this garden. It didn't live up to the hype for me. We arrived in the late afternoon and were advised by the ticket seller to rush to the other end of the garden as it was soon to close. After a brisk 25 minute walk in the heat being jostled along with the many other people who had also been given the same advice, we arrived at the end of the garden. There was a small viewing platform which we all crowded onto to look at the river below but the garden was not the cultivated sort of the advertisements but tired uninteresting shrubbery. I suspect we were urged to this far location so that the area around the chateau did not become too overcrowded. So we walked all the way back and things improved when we found a seat at the piano bar and quenched our thirst with a cool drink while listening to the music and watching the sunset over the the river, fields of sunflowers and distant chateaus. On the way out we had a chance to see the topiary garden although it was very crowded due to the arrival of some performers to entertain the children. If we had not been duped into such a long walk which left us so tired I am sure that our experience would have been quite different. Such a pity as we had been very much looking forward to it.

stunning setting, different from the usual floral English Gardens; we are garden-philes and have been to a half dozen great ones in the US; this is different esp. regarding the Boxwood topiaries; but better still the walks are beautiful, well laid out, good gift shop, good "map", breathtaking setting on a cliff over the Dordogne river with La Roque Gageac to the east and Beynac to the west. The Candle light tour on Thursdays doesn't happen, as far as I can tell, in September...As we were leaving at about 7pm 5 hot air balloons ascended from near Beynac and flew right overhead. STunning. HIghly recommended.

Such a nice place to wander for a few hours in these stunning and varied gardens. Away from the crowds and commanding fantastic views of the surrounding area including Beynac and Roc Gageac, it is so much more than just stunning topiary.

This park was right above our B&B. Steep climb, but worth the effort. There is a easy drive up as well. They recommend two hours to explore the park and if you walk the whole thing, that is probably accurate. I have never seen so many boxwoods, all trimmed into round or stone shapes. The chateau itself was closed as they are working on the roof.

The carefully sculptured box area near to the chateau is quite amazing but there is also a very pleasant walk to be had up to the viewing area along the escarpment.