The French garden design developed after the impact of the Italian Renaissance. The French garden style adopted many principles from the renaissance gardens but incorporated a style of their own.

Whereas French garden designers saw the garden as an extension of the architecture and ordered the garden into a series of rooms with walls created from hedges and stairs from water, the English Landscape gardeners were inspired by paintings .
 
The impact of the renaissance did not hit the gardens of France until the 1600’s, soon after the chateaus’ gardens were designed using principles that were completely new to the region.
 
The main goal for this style was to make an extravagant impression to all of the guests who visited the country homes of the wealthy royals.
 

The first important French garden was that at Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte where the chateau was designed at the same time as the gardens. André le Notre was commissioned to design the gardens and for the first time the chateau and the garden were perfectly integrated.

 

Andre Le Notre went on to create the extraordinary Gardens of Versailles, the largest garden in Europe and the most splendid example of French garden design. The style was copied by nobility throughout France and, indeed, by some of the large aristocratic buildings of Europe too. Its popularity continued until the introduction of the English Landscape Garden started the next garden fashion trend.

Last but not least, we have to talk about Joachim Carvallo. He acquired Villandry in the early 20th century and recreated gardens according to his taste. The result is astonishing: divided in 6 gardens, with a theme for each of them, Villandry’s gardens are considered to be one the most beautiful in the world.