Informations pratique

Access

Les jardins du Manoir d'Eyrignac

24590 SALIGNAC

The Gardens of Eyrignac are located 13 km north east of Sarlat.
 
Railway stations : Sarlat 13 km, Souillac 20 km, Brive 40 km.
 
Airports : Brive 40 km.
International airports : Bordeaux 200 km.
and Toulouse 190 km.
 
Direct access by A 20 : Brive or Souillac exits.
Direct access by A 89 : La Bachellerie and Terrasson exits.

Contact

Owner: Patrick Sermadiras de Pouzols de Lile

Tel. : +33 5 53 28 99 71

Fax : +33 5 53 30 39 89

contact@eyrignac.com

Services & opening times

from 1^st January to 31^st March : from 10.30 to 12.30 and from 14.30 to dusk.
 
from 1^st to 30^th April : open all day from 10.00 to 19.00 (*).
 
from 1^st May to 30^th September : open all day from 09.30 to 19.00 (*).
 
from 1st October to 31st December : from 10.30 to 12.30 and from 14.30 to dusk.
(* Ticket office closes at 19.00)

Unaccompanied visit or self-guided visit in 4 languages (French, English, Spanish, Dutch), pleasantly rounded off by an exhibition with a film about the art of topiary as practised in the gardens.
 
Restaurant on site (from 1^st April to 31^st October), shady picnic area.
Parking (free of charge in shady area; without manoeuvring for coaches).
 
Authorised landing strip for aircraft and helicopters (accessible by written request).

Tariffs 2008

Individuals	Unaccompanied visit	Self-guided
Adults	8.5 Euros	2 Euros for two audio guides available in
Children (under 7)	Free
Children (from 7 to 14)	4 Euros
Disabled	4 Euros
The entrance ticket grants access to the gardens for the whole day

Virtual Visits

Les jardins du Manoir d'Eyrignac

4 hectares of plant sculptures   This garden filled with greenery, nestling in the heart of Périgord Noir, displays every shade of green: yews, box trees, hornbeams and cypress trees are the main species in the garden. It is the sheer volume of topiaries which creates the essence of Eyrignac: plant sculptures, rooms of greenery, box embroideries, borders in the French style… There seems to be no limit to the diversity of shapes, which nonetheless still remain in harmony with the architectural lines of the Manoir and the area of 200 hectares kept in its natural state which surrounds this jewel of a garden.

History

In my family, the Gardens of the Manoir d'Eyrignac have been handed down by sons and daughters for the past 500 years: 22 generations have followed one another since the first castel or noble dwelling was built.
 
At the time of the Fronde des Princes (the Civil War in the XVIIth Century, when some of the nobility rebelled against Cardinal Mazarin), my ancestor remained in the loyalist camp: in reprisal, the troops of the Grand Condé, Prince Louis II of Bourbon, destroyed the first castel, which dated from the Early Middle Ages. The present Manor house was rebuilt by Antoine de Costes de la Calprenède in the XVIIth Century on the ruins of the former dwelling. The first gardens were designed in the XVIIIth Century on the initiative of Louis-Antoine Gabriel de la Calprenède (the great-grandson of Antoine), who was more blessed by fortune: these were gardens in the French style, inspired by those of the villa of Italy, as taste dictated at that time. They were completely revised in the XIXth Century to follow the new fashion, and thus became an English-style park.

This garden did not correspond with the vision that my father, Gilles Sermadiras, had of Eyrignac. He very quickly had the desire to redesign it just as it must have been in the XVIIIth Century. After thinking about it for a number of years, finally 40 years ago he decided to recreate the garden he had wanted for such a long time. Trusting in his own inspiration he searched the grounds for any trace of the former garden: walls, steps, the former lake etc., and himself designed the garden he had so often imagined, and which reflected his personality.

When the plants were put in, they were all just 20 cm high, yet they already revealed the garden as it is today...

The fate of this “secret garden” now rests in my hands, and every day I try to pay homage to my father's creativity by keeping his work alive with rigour and passion”.

Evénements

• Sunday 12th and Monday 13th April 2009 : Easter Treasure Hunt

  Children who come to Eyrignac for this event will be able to discover the treasure with the help of Sidonie the hen, but they will have to answer the riddles left for them by Pampan the mischievous rabbit.

  Tariffs : 9.50 € - free for children under 14 years old

• Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd May 2009 : 5th annual Orchid Exhibition

  Exhibition and sales in the Orangery of the Gardens of the Manoir d'Eyrignac. Open continuously from 09.30 to 7 PM

  Tariffs : 2 € - free for children under 12 years old

• Friday 5th, Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June 2009: Garden Rendezvous “Passionnément Eyrignac”

  During the weekend, the gardeners, the Head gardener and the owner will welcome you to make you discover the upkeep of a French Garden.

  Tariffs : 9.50 € - free for children under 14 years old

• Every Monday evening from 13th July to 17th August 2009
  From 7 pm to nightfall : Musical white picnic in the White Garden

  Relax, far from the bustle of the crowd, and enjoy the cooling fountains at twilight: all summer long, visitors come with friends and family, dressed in white for a picnic in the white rose garden. From sunset to nightfall, they nibble their picnic treats or enjoy a delicious slice of foie gras and a glass of wine in the restaurant. Live music every evening.

  Tarifs : 9.50 € - free for children under 14 years old

• Friday 7th August : Concert “Les Nuits d’Eté” d’Hector Berlioz

  In partnership with the Music Festival “Le Festival du Périgord Noir”.
  7pm : picnic in the White garden – 9pm : concert in the Courtyard of the Manor

  Tariffs : Entry free of charge up to 18 years of age

• Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September 2009 : 26th annual Heritage Days

  For this year's Ministry of Culture-organised event, owner Patrick Sermadiras and his family open the doors to the 17th-century Manor, giving visitors an exceptional look at their garden home, which reflects the soul of Eyrignac.

  Tariffs : €9.50 for adults – free for children under 18 years old

• The Alsatian Christmas Gift Shop

  Our brand-new "Garden and Manor" gift shop takes on an Alsatian tone, full of the Christmas spirit, with cakes and gingerbread, homemade jams, Alsatian pottery, traditional patchwork quilts, Christmas tree baubles and decorations, plus some nice, reasonably-priced gifts, on sale! A wide selection of top-quality items directly from Alsace.
  Children and grown-ups will delight in a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine ... A warm, friendly atmosphere with the sweet smell of Christmas.

  Tariffs : €9.50 for adults – free for children under 18 years old