At Chambord, repeated heatwaves force gardens to change appearance

In Chambord, drought and heatwaves are clearly visible in the chateau's gardens. The parched vegetation is forcing gardeners to rethink landscapes and plant species. Around Chambord Castle, the spectacle is highly unusual this year. Lawns and flowerbeds, usually lush and green, have turned yellow and brown under the combined impact of drought and intense heat. After several heatwaves, the ground is exceptionally dry and the vegetation is struggling to recover. In the estate's formal French gardens, the gardeners are watching the consequences of this water stress. And this year, even some trees are showing signs of distress. A situation that raises pressing questions about the future of these historic landscapes. According to the château's head gardener, Julien Billon, "At first, we didn't really see it on the trees; it was mainly the low vegetation with shallow roots. Now we can see that this heatwave has started to affect the trees' root systems (...) and I think we are going to see damage, but it will be delayed over time. In fact, some trees may take two or three years to decline. But the impact of this year's heatwave is very, very severe." Less water, more resilient plants and trees Beyond the purely aesthetic aspect, the entire philosophy behind the way the gardens are managed is about to change. As climate change accelerates, managing water resources has become a major strategic challenge. With extreme heatwaves and summer droughts likely to become the norm, keeping to traditional horticultural models calls for a profound rethink. To respond to this new reality, the teams at the Domaine national de Chambord have embarked on a wide-ranging rethink of their plant palette. The aim is to select more resilient species, capable of withstanding high temperatures and coping with long periods of water shortage without weakening. Choosing xerophilous plants (adapted to dry conditions) and planting more robust trees has now become essential. But it is a demanding balancing act, as they must preserve the grandeur, structure and visual identity of these historic gardens while drastically shrinking their water footprint. At Chambord, where human ingenuity has been shaping the landscape for nearly five centuries, a new and decisive phase is beginning. Once guided by the pursuit of prestige and perfect symmetry, these gardens are now writing a new chapter in their history, this time dictated by the demands of the climate.