When the weather is lovely , drinks and delicate pastries can be purchased from the tearooms , and you can sit on the paved terrasse and contemplate life with a view of the captivating abbey .
Château de Breteuil
The graceful Château de Breteuil has been in the hands of the same family for over 300 years . The grand house itself dates to the 18th century , and one hundred years later would play host to a secret meeting between the French government and the future King Edward VII .
But it ’ s the gardens of this lovely locale , classified jardins remarquable , which make it an unmissable stop on your tour of the Haute Vallée de Chevreuse .
There ’ s a classic French garden with a
miroir d ’ eau or a reflecting pond lined with white marble statues , a smooth lawn and mosaiced boxwood and topiaries .
The Jardin des princes , formerly known as the English garden and renamed in honour of the secret meeting mentioned above , is truly delightful .
Behind this walled garden is a cacophony of colour and fragrance - pink and white blossoms herald the beginning of spring , daffodils , tulips and snowdrops surge delicately from the rich soil , and the heady scent of roses assails the senses .
Stand under the white cherry trees in full blossom for a wonderful photo or sit on an old stone bench and inhale this romantic , heavenly garden .
An entrancing labyrinth entertains both