Fête des Jardiniers
Festival of gardens and horticulture at Château du Lude
About Jardiniers du Lude
The Fête des Jardiniers: thirty years of horticultural passion at Château du Lude
Created in 1994, the Fête des Jardiniers has established itself as one of the major events in the horticultural calendar in the Grand Ouest. The Château du Lude, whose gardens are labeled Jardin remarquable (Remarkable Garden), offers a unique heritage setting for this event which celebrates the art and practice of gardening in all its forms each year.
The festival brings together around a hundred specialized exhibitors: renowned nurserymen, seed merchants, collectors of rare plants, garden artisans, and local producers. Visitors discover exceptional varieties not found in traditional commerce, benefit from expert advice from passionate professionals, and learn about responsible and ecological gardening techniques.
The Gardens of Château du Lude: a living heritage
The gardens of Château du Lude are among the most beautiful gardens in France. They span several hectares and offer a succession of enchanting landscapes: the fragrant rose garden with hundreds of old and modern varieties, the vegetable labyrinths, the botanical collection gathering rare species, and the kitchen garden cultivated using traditional methods. The château itself, an architectural gem blending Gothic, Renaissance, and Classical styles, majestically overlooks the Loir valley.
A rich program for all audiences
Beyond the horticultural exhibition, the Fête des Jardiniers offers a varied program of activities:
- Gardening workshops: practical advice, expert demonstrations for responsible and ecological cultivation
- Poultry exhibition: presentation of traditional and rare poultry breeds
- Children's workshops: discovery of plants, creative activities around nature
- Garden tours: rose garden, labyrinths, botanical collection, kitchen garden
- Carriage rides on Sunday afternoons
The P.J. Redouté Prize: editorial excellence in the service of botany
The Fête des Jardiniers also hosts the presentation of the prestigious P.J. Redouté Prize, which rewards the most beautiful gardening and botany books in French. This award, created twenty-five years ago, contributes to the cultural and scientific influence of the event, attracting authors, publishers, and discerning amateurs from around the world.
An event rooted in its region
Located on the borders of Sarthe, Anjou, and Touraine, between Le Mans and Tours, the Château du Lude benefits from a microclimate conducive to a wide variety of crops. The Fête des Jardiniers contributes to the tourist and cultural influence of the Loir valley, bringing together several thousand visitors each year in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Jardiniers du Lude — edition 2026
The 32nd edition of the Gardeners' Festival will be held on Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th, 2026 at Château du Lude, from 10 am to 7 pm. Around sixty nurserymen, collectors of rare plants, horticulturists, and garden artisans will gather in the castle park, alongside gardening workshops, children's activities, a poultry exhibition, and the presentation of the P.J. Redouté Prize. Single price 9 €, free for under 18s (access to the castle and gardens included).
32nd Gardeners' Festival — June 6th and 7th, 2026
Château du Lude will host on Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th, 2026, from 10 am to 7 pm, the 32nd edition of the Gardeners' Festival. This annual event, held on the first weekend of June and created in 1994, brings together around sixty carefully selected exhibitors in the castle park: specialized nurserymen, collectors of rare plants, seed merchants, horticulturists, and local producers from the Pays de la Loire.
Around sixty exhibitors focused on gardening
Visitors will find roses, rare perennials, aromatic and aquatic plants, bulbs, trees and shrubs, but also gardening equipment, tools, outdoor furniture, and artisanal garden decorations. Local producers (honeys, cheeses, ice creams, flavored vinegars) complete the offer.
Workshops and activities
- Pruning ornamental shrubs with Pascal Prieur
- Herbalism workshop around the medicinal garden, led by Stéphanie Bloc
- Children's workshop led by Truffaut Le Mans
- Sunday: preparation of jams over a wood fire and crêpe demonstrations in the castle's historic kitchens
- Poultry exhibition in the orangery: presentation of traditional and rare poultry breeds
- "Floral Herbarium" exhibition: dried flower artworks by Catherine Mignot
The P.J. Redouté Prize
The 2026 edition will host, as every year, the presentation of the prestigious P.J. Redouté Prize, which rewards the most beautiful gardening and botany works in French.
The remarkable gardens of Château du Lude
The ticket gives access, in addition to the festival, to a visit of the castle's gardens, labeled Jardin remarquable — a rose garden with hundreds of ancient and modern varieties, plant labyrinths, a botanical collection, a vegetable garden — and to the castle itself.
Programme Jardiniers du Lude 2026
Saturday, June 6th, 2026 (10 am - 7 pm)
- Festival opening and welcome of exhibitors in the castle park
- Plant market: around sixty nurserymen, seed merchants, and collectors
- Gardening workshops: ornamental shrub pruning (Pascal Prieur), herbalism on the medicinal garden (Stéphanie Bloc)
- Children's workshop led by Truffaut Le Mans
- Poultry exhibition in the orangery: rare and traditional poultry breeds
- "Floral Herbarium" exhibition: dried flower artworks by Catherine Mignot
- Free visit of the remarkable gardens and the castle
- Presentation of the P.J. Redouté Prize (gardening and botany works)
Sunday, June 7th, 2026 (10 am - 7 pm)
- Resumption of the plant market and exhibitor stands
- Demonstrations in the castle's historic kitchens: preparation of jams over a wood fire and crêpes
- Continuation of gardening workshops (pruning, herbalism, children's workshop)
- Poultry exhibition and "Floral Herbarium" exhibition
- Free visit of the gardens and the castle
Detailed hourly program communicated on site and on the official castle website.
Highlights Jardiniers du Lude 2026
- Around sixty exhibitors: nurserymen, collectors of rare plants, seed merchants, garden artisans
- Workshops led by experts: pruning (Pascal Prieur), herbalism (Stéphanie Bloc), children's workshop (Truffaut Le Mans)
- Presentation of the P.J. Redouté Prize, recognizing the best gardening and botany works in French
- Poultry exhibition in the orangery and "Floral Herbarium" exhibition by Catherine Mignot
- Demonstrations of jams over a wood fire and crêpes in the historic kitchens (Sunday)
- Included access to the remarkable gardens and the castle, classified as a Historic Monument
Prices Jardiniers du Lude 2026
Practical information — Jardiniers du Lude
Practical Information
Access
By car: Château du Lude is located 45 km south of Le Mans and 55 km north of Tours. From Le Mans, follow D306 towards Pontvallain then Le Lude. Free parking near the château.
By train: Le Mans station (TGV from Paris in 55 min), then bus connection or car rental (45 km).
Opening Hours
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Prices
- Single entry: 9 EUR (access to the festival and château gardens)
- Free for under 18s
Contact
Château du Lude
4, rue Jehan de Daillon
72800 Le Lude
Tel: 02 43 94 60 09
Website: www.lelude.com
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Where does it take place — Jardiniers du Lude
Château du Lude
4 rue Jehan de Daillon, 72800 Le Lude