The Touraine province is part of the more unknown French Loire Valley. Not because its landscapes and its people are not worth it, but because the headlines have always been the route of the castles. But precisely among hidden secrets is where we can get lost with its peoples.
Chédigny, the garden village
Starting this route walking among roses is a dream. The small town of Chédigny is a beautiful garden between cobbled streets that has more than 1,000 rose bushes and more than 4,000 other plants that give us their best face in spring.
He Roses Festival is the ideal time to visit the only French village awarded by the Ministry of Culture as “Jardin Remarquable” (Remarkable Garden). Don’t miss its Jardin du Presbytère, a reconstruction of a 19th-century church garden filled with flowers, medicinal plants, and vegetables.
Montrésor, one of the most beautiful villages in France
It is no coincidence that Montrésor is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France. Located in the Indrois river valley, this beautiful town has a medieval castle that Foulques Nerra, Count of Anjou, had built at the beginning of the 11th century. Only the 1393 keep remains from that time, as it was modified during the Renaissance and later, in the 19th century, by the Branicki family.
In the gardens of the Chateau de Montrésor we find the Fallen Angel by Constantin Corti, from 1869, which Mick jagger he wanted to buy as soon as he saw it. The walk along the banks of the Indrois river is well worth a tripbecause the calm is such that you will forget the hustle and bustle of Madrid if you dedicate a sunset to it.
Loches, a medieval treasure
The medieval town of Loches is that obligatory stop hidden in the Touraine region and that invites us not only to stroll through its cobbled streets, but to discover its more than a thousand years of history among the alleys of the Renaissance town. The medieval core with the 12th-century palace and a 36-metre-high keep, founded in the 11th century, casts a beautiful picture over the Indre river valley. It is a true marvel.
The town hall, the Saint-Antoine tower or the collegiate church of Saint-Ours founded in the 10th century, a Romanesque jewel, are some of the points of interest in this charming medieval village.
The Loire from La Chapelle-sur-Loire
The Loire is the longest wild river in Europe and cross part of its route in one of the traditional flat-bottomed boats called touch it is an unbeatable experience. Not only because of the river, the wine and the French cheeses. Also for the love of Les Bateliers des Vents d’Galerne, the association that makes the tours in these reconstructed boats that are the only ones that can navigate this area.
Langeais and its castle
The Castle of Langeais, with one of the oldest keep in France, is one of the jewels of Langeais. Its viewpoint over the Loire, the spectacular drawbridge and its rooms make this castle a must-see. That without counting the beautiful gardens. Essentials.
The Plumereau square in Tours
The Plumereau square, in the center of Tours, is the meeting point of the life of this charming town. Although for many the Cathedral of Tours is the great attraction of the area, the truth is that spending a night in its streets is filling you with life. Do not rule out staying looking at their half-timbered houses and let time stop.
The renaissance castle of Villandry
This Renaissance historical monument of France stands out for its French-style gardens in which there is even a maze but at the time it was a medieval fortress saved by a Spanish family at the beginning of the 20th century, that of Joachim Carvallo.
Photos | Trendencias (Ana Belén Palomares)
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