Loches | Loches is a delightful town sited mainly on the
south western side of the River Indre. The town still
features a walled city containing the royal residence and
the Castle, which features a large dungeon complex. The
magnificent royal residence was where Joan of Arc met the
Dauphin after her victory at Orleans. The castle keep is
steeped in history and at one time was the residence of
Richard the Lionheart. The view from the top of the keep
over the local countryside is well worth the climb. Surrounding the walled city are a number of medieval streets featuring original buildings and cobbled streets. The royal residence is the centre of a 'son et lumiere' during the summer months. The town of Loches has many interesting shops and restaurants and is a centre for local arts and crafts. In the rocks under the castle hill are troglodyte caves for which conducted tours take place at set times during the day. |
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Tours |
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CHATEAUX
OF THE LOIRE
The following chataeux are withn 3/4 hour by car |
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Chateau De La Guerche and Chateau Du Grande Pressigny |
A very
short drive away, situated to the south east of
Descartes is Chateau de la Guerche a charming family
owned chateau open to the public with a conducted tour
of selected rooms, the dungeon and the impressive
grain cellars included in the admission price. The
village surrounding the chateau is also worth
exploring to find many of the medieval buildings
adjacent to the old town walls. The chateau is located
next to the river Creuse, which formed the boundary
between occupied and Vichy France in WWII.
Slightly
further away is Chateau du Grande Pressigny a Castle
overlooking the town. There are impressive views of
the countryside from the battlements. The Castle
houses a Paleantology Museum which is located in a
more recent (17th Century) part of the castle. This
contains many historic finds dating from 2 million
years ago to the Bronze Age 2500 BC. Between Le Grand
Pressigny and Descartes lies Abilly, where next to the
main road can be found the L'archeolab a Abilly, a
live dig and museum with an Archaeologist on site each
afternoon.
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Chenonceau |
This classic Chateau is approximately 50
minutes drive from Cussay. It was built in the 16th
Century on the site of a fortified mill. It is now one of the loveliest Chateaux in France. There are many interesting and well restored rooms to see, including the rooms of Diane de Poitiers, the Green study of Catherine de Medici, The bedrooms of Louis XIV and Francois I plus the wonderful galleries, which often house visiting art exhibitions. The extensive grounds are very beautiful and it is possible to hire a rowing boat to view the chateau from the river. |
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Futuroscope | For the family
(or cinema fan), La Bosniere is around an hour from Futoroscope near Poitiers. |
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Golf | For those visitors who like to play Golf, there are courses at Saint-Antoine du Rocher, which is on the North West outskirts of Tours. This course offers club hire, buggies, coaching, shop and restaurant. The course itself is 18 Hole Par 70 5734 Metres. At Villedieu Sur Indre near Chateauroux. This is an 18 hole course with extensive training facilities, bar, restaurant and shop. | ||
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