Athens, Ga. – Béatrice de Andia, French preservationist and author, will give a lecture entitled “Gardens of the Loire Valley Castles,” on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. in the Walker Room of the Dean Rusk Center on the University of Georgia campus. A reception will follow.
At the dawn of the 15thcentury, the Loire Valley was already knownas the Orchard of France. This unique valley isan architectural, historical, artistic and botanical melting point. As such, the Loire Valley gardens have evolved and adapted throughout the centuries. Each newgeneration has transformed the gardens according to the fashion and taste of the time. Today, these beautiful gardens still attract amateurs and professionals from all over the world. De Andia will draw upon her extensive experience with the region to provide both historical and cultural context to the Gardens of the Loire Valley.
De Andia holds four doctoral degrees and has spent the last fifty years working in a variety of international organizations. She began her career with UNESCO legal services and in 1973, she became the executive director for the Association of the Vieilles Maisons Françaises. In 1978, she left this position to become the executive director of the Action Artistique for the city of Paris. Since 2007, she has devoted herself to the preservation of religious heritage buildings in France and has founded the Observatoire du Patrimoine Religieux.
For more information, visit http://www.sed.uga.edu.
