Parc du Château d’Attre
Practical information
Château de Attre
Avenue du Château, 8
7941 ATTRE
Tel. : +32 (0)68 45 44 60
chateau.de.attre@skynet.be
www.chateauxduhainaut.be
Charges: adults: 4,50 €, children aged 6 to 12 : 3,50 €
Opening times : April to October: Sundays and public holidays from 14.00 to 18.00
July and August: Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 13.00 to 18.00
A little bit of history....
Legend has it that, in the 17th century, a pseudo-hermit named Vignou lived in the tower of that name. Under the guise of his pious exterior, he invited passers-by to come into his house. This could be a fatal error, for several never came out again. Finally questioned by the law, the bandit confessed to assassinating 14 people and burning their bodies in his stove. He was, of course, executed. But since then, the name Vignou is used in local dialect to refer to a scoundrel.
In the area
Tournai Tourist Office
http://www.walloniepicarde.be
A park that's full of surprises!
The park features beautiful examples of the art of the fabrique from the first half of the 19th century, for example, a Swiss chalet, bath house and so on, and also a man-made curiosity, an artificial rock structure made to look like a ruin. (The formal garden awaits the visitor opposite the Louis XV style castle.)
Everyone is welcome!
Family visits: edged by lawns, the wide gravel walks provide easy access for push-chairs and young children.
Garden lovers: both a landscape garden and a forest park, the garden features several monuments, such as the 17th century dovecot or the Vignou tower, which, according to legend, was the den of the highwayman "Vignou". The rock grotto is certainly worth the detour. Built in 1788, this 33 metre artificial grotto, in pre-Romantic style, was used to observe rabbit hunts organised in honour of the annual visit of the Archduchess Marie-Christine and her husband, the Duke of Saxe-Teschen.
First visit to an "outstanding" garden: amidst the grandiose natural beauty are several man-made curiosities, the apogee of which is the artificial rock grotto, constructed in the form of ruins, a concrete expression of the romanticism of the 18th century. Everything seems to have stood the passage of time without incurring a scratch. Enjoy exploring it!
Plan of the gardens
Fotos of the gardens
