The Villarceaux estate is integrated into the natural geography, first by investing in the valley of the Chaussy stream through the subtle development of a series of water features to drain the original marsh, and then rising onto the plateau with a dual landscape approach: through the extraordinary vertugadin that pierces the wooded slope to reach the water below, and towards the agricultural countryside by opening views through the groves.
This study has allowed us to trace the history of the gardens of Villarceaux, focusing particularly on the period following the estate's acquisition by the Region, starting in 1989. The estate was then extensively reshaped, and what we appreciate today about the gardens results from a vast “restoration” campaign implemented by Signes and Lablaude until the mid-2000s (creation of the access road and parking; creation of the water garden; restructuring of the “Italian” and medieval terraces; planting of aligned pollarded linden trees; etc.).