CHÂTEAU ET PARC DE LA VARENNE

Considering the age of the plantations, one can come to the conclusion that the park has been designed around 1880, probably by the great-great grandfather of the actual owners... It is hard to imagine the gardens of Pierre Merlin, when he lived there, at the turn of the 16th century ! We only own a fairly simple plan of the gardens, dated 1793 : the terrace was then divided into four grass-plots, which became in the 19th century one single grass-plot, surrounded by a box rim; The grounds show definitely two different approaches : the terrace "à la française" and the park itselsf, a vast meadow dotted by distant clumps of trees, as far as one can see... A romantic walk along the shaded banks of the river Saulx, stone benches now and then, allowing some rest and gorgeous points of view on the castle, the river ot the 17th century stone bridge of the village : all is combined to gratify the visitors.