There are lots of parks and gardens to explore in the Pays de la Loire, here is our selection of 5 gardens not to miss:

Parc Oriental de Maulévrier  (near Cholet, between Angers and La Roche-sur-Yon): the largest Japanese garden in Europe . Its architecture and botanical setting is unique of its kind.

Jardin des Plantes in Nantes : with over 10 000 living species, it's one of the biggest botanical gardens in France and it has one of the oldest magnolias in Europe!

Le Parc Floral de la Court d'Aron (south of La Roche-sur-Yon): a collection of tropical plants from all around the world.

Jardin du Petit Bordeaux  (south of Le Mans): an ornemental garden with an artist's touch, it has an amazing collection of different species and varieties of plants.

Jardin des Renaudies  (north of Mayenne): an English style garden with over 3000 varieties of plants and a corn maze.

> Full list of gardens to visit in the Pays de la Loire

> Top 2017 garden themed events:

Les Floralies , at the Château de Brissac-Quincé - 7th-10th April

Oriental nights at Maulévrier Gardens - 6th May - 30th September

Rendez-vous aux jardins - 2nd-4th June

Folies des plantes in Nantes -  9th-10th September

Cours et Jardins in Le Mans - 30th September - 1st October