The Jardin de Saint-Adrien won the 2013 award for the best loved garden of the French, the 'Jardin Préféré des Francais 2013' in a competition by the France 2 television chanel.

Created on the site of a medieval quarry the garden has been built up around the rock. The main feature of the garden is a large natural lake with rock sides that have been planted with some amazing agaves.

Around the lake the grass is verdant even in the summer and is watered with water collected elsewhere on the property. The overall impression is of water, rock and a rich greeness of the lawn and trees.

Closer to the house planting is softer and the patio is a blaze of colour.

If you go for one of the evening visits Daniel Malgouyres takes you personally on a tour around his garden and explains how it came about. His enthusiasm is infectious.