The Gardens of Annevoie, located between Namur and Dinant on the left bank of the River Meuse, was the home and life-long passion of Charles Alexis de Montpellier. After traveling to many European cities in France & Italy, he decided to lay out his beautiful gardens in a combination of the three accepted styles: French, English and Italian.
- French style - Art corrects Nature, demanding strict symmetry, avoid curves or winding features
- English Style - Art adapts to Nature, emphasizes variety, contrast and surprise effects and uses natural features of the landscape
- Italian Style- Art imitates Nature, Artificially reproduces natural effects, such as waterfalls and construction of small hills and valleys.
As beautiful as the total scope of the garden is, the most astonishing feature is the water gardens. There are a total of 20 ornamental ponds and waterfalls and 48 fountains, each uniquely designed. What is amazing is that there is no machinery- no hydraulic systems to pump the water throughout the entire system. It is the same today as when it was build in the 18th century, using gravity and a series of varying sized piping.
The water comes from springs 2,100 meters away and is carried through hollowed out oak tree trucks banded together by steel cables and buried in clay soil to prevent corrosion and deterioration. For the past 230 years this water has been flowing constantly without the use of mechanical devises, flowing naturally from level to level. The water flows through the entire garden, bringing to life each fountain in its turn, then emptying into a small river. It has remained in perfect working condition since 1758. These gardens are an incredible engineering feat using only nature as the basis for the presentation of nature’s art.
The Chateau, completed in 1770, forms a slight curve to follow the valley of the Rouillon (English style- Art adapting to nature). White swans grace the mirror lake surrounding the back part of the Chateau. Our visit was in September and even without the full color of the spring flowers, the Gardens were magnificent.
Charles-Alexis de Montpellier designed his gardens for all the senses; not just wonderful to look at, but also to smell, touch and hear. The last 10 years of his life he was blind, but was still able to enjoy the pleasure of his beloved Jardins d’Annevoie.
Our guide, Stephan, learned many details from the de Montpelliers before the property was sold recently. It was interesting to hear all the stories about the "hows" and "whys" of Annevoie. Stephan usually conducts guided tours for groups of 20 or more. However it is possible to arrange a private tour, but advance arrangements are required. The gardens are open from April 1 to November 1 each year. There is plenty of parking available. Allow at least 1 to 2 hours for a tour of the Gardens but believe me, you will want to linger forever.