Welcome to Centre
Welcome to a territory full of historical and cultural heritage. This place is so special that some French kings had a predilection for it... and today many holidaymakers enjoy it too.
In this region, you will find a multitude of Renaissance castles like the church of Saint-Martin with its caquetoires or talking chairs (very much used in Renaissance France), towns that will enchant you like Chaumont-sur-Tharonne, which is a crossroads between Orleans, Blois and Chambord full of forests and wooden houses and the local gastronomy that will end up making you fall in love with this region.
It's worth knowing that the Loire Valley has become a UNESCO protected area and its richness comes not only from its culture and history but also from its architecture and nature, making it perfect for hiking trails.
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What to see
It is precisely because of this natural and historical character that some wonders stand out, such as the land of Sologne, where forests and natural ponds abound. The charm of this place also lies in the small villages such as Berry, a rural environment to admire its gardens, castles and Renaissance churches, but it also has important castles such as Ainay-le-Vieil, Argy or Valençay.
The largest castle in the Loire, Chambord, is also worth a visit. It is one of the most well-known ones in the world because of the combination of medieval and Italian architectural elements. Then we have Chenonceau, known as the Château des Dames since it was run by women.
On the other hand, we have Azay-le-Rideau, built on an island in Indra and its English garden is perfect for a walk with your partner. Other important ones that are also worth a visit are Amboise and its panoramic view over the river, and Villandry with its wonderful gardens.
What to eat
In this beautiful French environment we can first mention the cultivation of cereals, wines and five types of goat's cheese with a protected designation of origin (PDO), including crottin de chavignol (cooked on toasted bread), pouligny saint-pierre, whose shape is inspired by the bell tower of the church from which it takes its name, saint-maure, eaten as a soufflé over a quiche or salty cake, the selles-sur-cher, a vortex of flavours that will captivate you and finally the valençay cheese, ideal for appetizers accompanied by a glass of wine of the same name.
To continue, we have the famous Berry green lentils which can be eaten without soaking them and, of course, the so famous truffles are used as a condiment in many dishes of this region. Regarding meat, you have specialities such as duck a la tourangelle or pheasant with cabbage, but also some pâtés elaborated with meats such as wild boar.
As for dessert, the Tatin sisters' cake is something you must simply try before you leave, but it is also interesting to know that, originally, this iconic cake was born because of a legendary culinary mistake! However, we couldn’t forget about the crushed pears from Rivarennes which are rehydrated after a long process, now about the almond pithiviers stuffed with frangipani are not something to be missed either.
Nature
Few landscapes are more natural in this region than the Orleans Forest, the largest one in France. If you want you can walk on any of its numerous hiking routes. And if you are restless, you can fish in l'étang de la Vallée, as well as swim or even do windsurf!
Berry is also important as it includes the Brenne Regional Nature Park, a unique nest of flora and fauna that makes up the perfect for botany enthusiasts. Perhaps it has become "green dream" thanks to the gardens and various trails that can be found here such as the Le Blizon or Le Beauregard route, or watching the birds from the La Sous bird observatory in the Chérine Nature Reserve.
A visit to the Maison de la Nature et de la Réserve in Saint-Michel-en-Brenne is a must too. This is an educational space built between land and water the aim of which is to raise awareness in the world about caring and respecting French heritage and nature.
And, finally, although there is much more to it, in the Brenne Regional Nature Park you will have the opportunity to learn more about Brenne and, more importantly, you will be able to access the tasting area for its local products.
Our festivities
Festivities cannot be missed at any tourist spot to complete a perfect stay. That's why you'll find some very characteristic regional festivities in the area.
For example, the Fête de la Science, a way of bringing the world of science closer to people who are not specialised in it and which aims to make science accessible to everyone.
The "mini-galaxy" of Orléans now stands out, as it has many festive events such as the five-day Loire Festival in September (hundreds of sailors meet on the quay of the Loire), the Joan of Arc festivities in honour of this historical figure so highly valued in France, or the Christmas market in December, where there are beautifully decorated wooden houses and an enormous amount of regional products.
And finally, there is a free party dedicated to comics in Blois at the Maison de la Bande Desinée (in Halle aux Grains) three days in September, something which will allow you to enjoy human creativity in printed formnat in all its splendour.
