A family friendly place for both young and old - just a short drive from Nyon
The Château de Vullierens has now opened its gardens and grounds to the general public and they will remain open until the 22nd June. These gardens are famous locally for their collections of irises and lilies and for their modern sculptures which are scattered around the grounds. Other attractions include an outdoor restaurant/ café (also offering lazy Sunday brunches), a small art gallery and a gift shop. There is plenty of space (around 100 acres) for little ones to run around, to play hide and seek and to touch (some) of the sculptures. Free entrance for children under the age of 11.
There is a shady avenue walk (amongst trees planted back in 1758) and benches placed throughout the gardens and grounds to simply sit and contemplate the view on to the vineyards and Alps beyond.
The château also offers various cultural activities such as wine tastings (the château has its own vineyard) and evening concerts. On the 29th May and the 8th June (from 16:30 -18:00) there will be the opportunity to see the gardens from 30 metres above ground in a static hot air balloon. This is free for visitors!
Note: the gardens are open on a Monday and on this day you can buy two tickets for the price of one. Although the gardens are open for another four weeks the irises are looking their best right now. The gardens are approximately 15 minutes from the Morges motorway exit. The drive then takes you through pretty villages and Vaud countryside to reach the château. Full map and details on their website here
See photo essay below of the gardens with more information.
One of the many modern sculpture that visitors can look at (or in this case) sit on!
Large statues can be found throughout the grounds.
Above - Children looking at the art.
Below - The massive hanging sculpture near the entrance to the garden
Lilies galore
Photo above - For those interested in gardening and growing their own irises, there is an iris and garden information centre situated right in the centre of the grounds. Over 400 varieties of irises or 150 varieties of day lilies can be ordered on site either on site at the château or online. Deliveries are made from mid August to October.
The sculpture that makes a noise! Fun for the children to walk over
Questionnaires throughout the grounds on the flora and fauna around
Entrance to the outbuildings near the château
Friendly staff at the château reception!
The château itself (this is a private residence and is not open to the public) however you can see the entrance hall of this magnificent building and hear an interview with the owner at minutes 1. 38 and 7.56 - 9. 40 on this TV programme here (in French). The property has been in the same family for 700 years!
A statue in the "Secret Garden"
Ice cream for sale at the café
The outdoor café /restaurant
Check out the big chair and the big table in the restaurant
End the day out with a glass of Château de Vuillerens wine!