Inside Christian Louboutin’s Fairytale Garden in Brittany, France

In accordance with Christian Louboutin, there are three components of France the place locals proudly declare their regional id earlier than their nationwide one: the Basque Nation, Corsica, and Brittany. The latter, a rocky peninsula on France’s northwestern coast, is the place the shoe magnate’s household is from. “I love the Breton local weather, which may be very garden-friendly,” he says. “And the pleasure that the individuals take of their tradition and traditions.”

This love led him to buy Les Jardins de Kerdalo, a historic botanical backyard within the Breton commune of Trédarzec. Cultivated by Russian prince and horticulturist Peter Wolkonsky within the second half of the twentieth century, it has labyrinthine walkways resulting in plant beds with signature Breton flora, like hydrangeas, in addition to endangered specimens just like the Wollemi pine. Waterfalls, terraces, and an Italian grotto dot the 42-acre property. 

“At first, I used to be a bit afraid of holding the gardens caught in time,” Louboutin says, “till Wolkonsky’s daughter, Isabelle Vaughan, instructed me ‘the one solution to preserve a backyard alive is so that you can have enjoyable with it.’ ” 

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Since buying Kerdalo, Louboutin has invested in refurbishing the prince’s former house (the 8,500-square-foot stone villa is ready to reopen in mid 2026) and including a greenhouse tearoom. He additionally helps a staff of gardeners and botanists who’re experimenting with vegetation and timber, like Mediterranean oaks, that require much less water, in response to local weather change.

“Kerdalo is one among Brittany’s best-kept secrets and techniques,” says Guillaume Foucher, cofounder of French hospitality model Fontenille Assortment, which is thought for reworking architectural landmarks into boutique hotels. “It’s a land of contrasts and poetry.” Fontenille’s latest property is the 25-room Les Bassans, a 1900s manor close to Kerdalo that makes for a classy house base for exploring the realm. 

A model of this story first appeared within the March 2026 problem of Journey + Leisure below the headline “Enchanted Backyard.”