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in the Loire Region of France
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You will find information on
Around Ranton,
Loudun,
Poitiers,
Saumur,
Fontevraud l'Abbaye,
Chinon,
Azay-le-Rideau,
Richelieu and
Futuroscope on this page.
Two kilometers from Ranton, on the banks of the nearby river Dive, the 19th-century church of La Bonne Dame de Ranton marks the site of the ancient pagan altar to Jupiter. The church was rebuilt in 1871 through the efforts of the Reverend Père Briant, an architect and organiser of one of the first pilgrimages to Lourdes. The larger church gave a new impetus to pilgrimages to Ranton, which had been a regular feature of life in the Middle Ages. The neighbouring village of Curçay-sur-Dive has a similar Château-Fort to that at Ranton. It was also fortified in the early 14th century, and again modified in the 16th century. The château also has its "underground village" of rooms tucked under the tower. The village has a 12th century church, with a well-preserved nave. Just outside Curçay, is the Pont de la Dame Blanche, a small stone bridge upon which the Barons of France first swore the oath of allegiance to Louis IX (Saint-Louis) in 1226.
Now a prosperous market town, Loudun has a
range of shops, restaurants and cafés. The centre is an attractive pedestrian area,
Loudun is famous for the witch hunts which took place in 1630, organised by Cardinal Richelieu in order to rid himself of the priest Urbain Grandier, who had publicly and ferociously criticised him.
Poitiers is the capital of the
region and the Department of La Vienne. It was a major religious centre in Gaul even
These links made Poitiers a focus of the conflicts of the Hundred Years War. Poitiers itself was taken by the English in 1360 and retaken by the Fench in 1370. Charles VII of France held his Parliament there from 1418 to 1436. Later, in 1577, it was at Poitiers that Henri III published the edict that assured religious freedom to Protestants. The old town in Poitiers is now an excellent shopping centre, free of traffic, with numerous medieval buildings. The Cathedral of Notre Dame la Grande is a magnificent example of romanesque architecture of the early 12th century, and that of Saint Peter, built by Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II of England, is an imposing reminder of the splendour of their reigns in the 13th and 14th centuries. The Palais de Justice, contains the old palace of the Dukes of Aquitaine, including the Great Hall with a magnificent 16th century roof. Around Poitiers there are numerous places of interest. The abbeys are particularly worth a visit. Those open to the public are at Fontaine le Comte, St Benoit, Ligugé and Nouaillé Maupertuis. The best known is that at Ligugé. It was there that St Martin assembled his disciples in the 4th century. The churches of the 5th, 6th and 7th centuries still exist and the abbey, reconstructed in the 16th century, is now home to Benedictine monks from Solesmes. There are concerts in the abbey church at Nouaillé Maupertuis and in the priory of Availles in the summer months. Walks from the abbey take one to the sites of the Roman camps at Racage and Carthage and to the monument at the site of the 1356 battle at which the Black Prince defeated the French army under Jean le Bon.
The "Pearl of Anjou", Saumur has retained the
character of a medieval market town. It is overlooked by one of the most impressive
Saumur was a Protestant stronghold during the religious conflicts of the 16th century. After the edict of Nantes was annulled in 1685, over two-thirds of the population fled. The town only regained its prosperity in the 18th century when it became the home of the French cavalry. The French national riding school is now at Terrefort, just west of Saumur.
20 kilometers north of Loudun, the group
of abbeys at Fontevraud rivalled Cluny for dominance for 700 years. The abbey was
From 1155 to 1793, an unbroken succession of abbesses ruled over the foundation. The abbey is now the cultural centre for the west of France. There is a full programme of concerts, exhibitions, seminars and courses throughout the year.
Chinon, about 15 kms
from Loudun, is the town of Rabelais and the site of one of the most imposing medieval
The town was a major stronghold in the 12th and 13th centuries, and was even the residence of the King of England during the reign of Henry II. His son, Richard the Lion Heart, is thought to have died in Chinon, and it was there that Joan of Arc met the French crown prince, later Charles VII. Richelieu acquired the château, along with others in the area, but it escaped his more destructive attentions.
About 25 kms from Ranton in the direction of Tours, Azay-Ie-Rideau has one of
the most spectacular Renaissance châteaux in the Loire Valley. It was built in
In 1799, Honoré de Balzac was born near Tours. He lived and wrote in Paris and the small village of Saché, near Azay-Ie-Rideau and where he devoted his time to writing his Human Comedy. The small château at Saché is now a museum devoted to mementos of his life and work. Richelieu is a remarkable example of 17th century town planning. About 1625, Richelieu decided to transform his modest family home into a palace befitting his new status. Work on the palace and town took over ten years because of the unsuitable nature of the marshy ground. The town is laid out on a strict geometrical grid, 700 meters long and 500 wide. It was surrounded by ramparts and a moat, now gardens. Of particular interest are the 28 town houses in the main street, all in the style of Louis XIII. Only the housekeeper's cottage and the Orangerie now remain in the vast park of the château. Richelieu did not hesitate in his lifetime to destroy the neighbouring châteaux to add to the glory of his own, but all its splendours were dispersed in the Revolution and the château itself was taken down and sold stone-by-stone in the 19th century. This attraction park is a new concept in entertainment, education and technology. It is a few kilometers north of Poitiers, about 50 kilometers south of Ranton. It combines high-quality attractions for children and adults with an advanced telecommunications center and a university department focused on information technologies and industrial innovation. It is well worth a day's visit whatever your age.
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ideal for a day's shopping or visits to the local museum. The larger supermarket
(Leclerc) on the edge of the town has a wide range of goods at competitive prices.
from the introduction of Christianity in Western Europe. St Martin founded the first
monastery near Poitiers, at Ligugé. It became also a major centre of political
influence in the 12th century as the Norman Dukes of Poitiers and Aquitaine
established links with the French and English monarchies.
fortresses in France. The Chateau is depicted in the "Très riches heures du Duc de Berry"
and is now a museum of decorative arts and a horse museum.
founded in 1099 by Robert d'Arbissel. He preached for the first crusade and assembled
his followers at Fontevraud. The foundation was protected and enriched by the
Plantagenets. Eleanor of Aquitaine retired and died there and is buried there
with her husband, Henry II, and her son, Richard the Lionheart.
châteaux. The town itself is on the banks of the Vienne, at the foot of the castle
walls. It still has the winding streets from the middle ages and hosts a medieval
festival and market each summer, at which period costumes are worn.
the early 16th century by the treasurer of François 1st. He was unfortunately
implicated in a financial scandal of the time, and the chateau was confiscated
by François 1st. It is open to the public throughout the year and a son et lumière
(sound and light show) takes place most evenings in the summer.
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