Château et Jardin de Bournazel

Located in the west of the Aveyron department, between Rodez and Villefranche de Rouergue, the Château de Bournazel, with its innovative architecture and the quality of its sculpted decor, is one of the most remarkable Renaissance castles in Occitania. After 15 years of exemplary restoration crowned by the Grand Trophée Dassault Histoire et Patrimoine, it is considered the most beautiful Renaissance castle-museum in the south of France, housing a rich collection of paintings, furniture and art objects from the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries.

The result of extensive work in archives and an archaeological excavation campaign, the restoration of the Bournazel gardens offers one of the rare examples of a Renaissance garden in France. The enclosed garden includes nine flowerbeds themed on the education of a wealthy prince and the enigma of life, fountains, vases, polyandrion, bedroom gardens with hornbeam partitions, orchard, "Hortus Conclusus", labyrinth, arbours and terraces, pond, whose symbolic, literary and intellectual organization recalls the ambitions of the Renaissance. Classified as a Remarkable Garden since 2019.

Renaissance Tour : the “Renaissance Tour” is the perfect opportunity to discover the interior and the collection. Led by a guide, this one-hour tour immerses the visitor in the atmosphere of a bygone golden age. After the tour, a free walk allows visitors to discover the Renaissance garden.

Medieval & Renaissance Tour : in addition to the “Renaissance Visit”, this visit gives access to the medieval tower and its castle restoration museum.

Visit of the exteriors : visitors can visit only the exteriors and the garden thanks to a site map and terminals equipped with QR codes.

Visit of the interior only on guided tour.

Average time spent on site: 2h – 2.5h

After-hours private guided tours are available year-round for groups of 20 or more.