Photo : VKaeru / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Château de Varillettes
A league from Saint-Flour, in the Cantal, the Château de Varillettes occupies a rolling, green site bordered by meadows and woods, facing the undulating hills of the Margeride.
Built in the 15th century as a defensive keep, this manor house has kept the simplicity of its period décor. In the 14th century the lord of Varillettes, Hérail de Pothier, a descendant of a consul of Saint-Flour, was keeper of the royal seal; a century ago the house was the country residence of the Bishop of Saint-Flour.
The medieval garden consists of six box-edged squares devoted to simples: medicinal and aromatic plants such as sage, hyssop, wormwood and rosemary. The château is now a hotel and is not open to visitors.
