Monday’s Château, Forteresse Royale de Chinon.

Seen from across the Vienne, the Forteresse Royale de Chinon stretches along its rocky ridge above the old town. Its long line of walls and towers makes clear why this was one of the great strategic strongholds of medieval France.

Chinon is closely associated with the meeting between Joan of Arc and Charles VII in 1429. She came here to persuade the future king to support her campaign to relieve Orléans, an encounter that helped change the course of the Hundred Years' War.

Bon lundi dans la vallée de la Loire !

“Each château tells a story — of kings, of artists, and of the dream of France itself.”

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Part of the “Châteaux of the Loire” Series

Every Monday, we explore one of the Loire Valley's legendary châteaux — from royal residences to riverside retreats — each revealing a different chapter of the region's story.

Discover more about the Loire Valley

Browse the full series

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Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench - promises of a rose garden.

A bench with a view of the rose garden within Descartes' public gardens, looking along the curving paths towards clipped greenery and tall cypress trees. Above it, one small cloud hangs like a cotton ball in the wide blue sky.

More Loire benches here.

“On Sundays, the Loire speaks softly — and you have time to listen.”

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Part of the “Mon banc dominical” Series

Each Sunday, we share a quiet bench somewhere in the Loire — a small reminder that peace is often found where you simply stop to notice it.

Explore more moments from the Loire

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On the Streets of Touraine, Rue Xavier Branicki, Montrésor,

Rue Xavier Branicki sits beneath the walls of Château de Montrésor, with houses seemingly untouched by passing time, giving this small village its historic character.

Xavier Branicki was a wealthy Polish count and friend of Napoleon III who bought the château in 1849. He restored it and helped shape much of the village as it is seen today, including the streets around the castle.

Montrésor is deservedly listed as one of the 'Les-Plus-Beaux-Villages-de-France' and is one of Touraine’s most picturesque.

Bon samedi dans la Touraine !

“The streets here don’t hurry. They simply invite you to walk, to notice, to belong.”

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Part of the “On the Streets of the Loire” Series

Each Saturday, we stroll through the lanes and cobbles of Loire towns and villages — places where every step feels like a story.

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Bon week-end from the Loire Valley, Château d’Azay-le-Rideau

Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, reflected in the still water of its moat, is one of the most recognisable sights in Touraine. Built in the early 16th century, it combines French tradition with the new Italian Renaissance style then arriving in the Loire Valley.

The château was built for Gilles Berthelot, Treasurer-General to King François I. When he fell from favour, he fled France, and the unfinished château passed to his wife, Philippe Lesbahy, who is thought to have overseen much of its completion.

Part of the “Bon weekend from the Loire” Series

Each Friday, we share a quiet moment from the Loire — a region that invites you to unwind, a beautiful weekend at a time.

Discover more from the Loire

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View of the Vienne...

From the heights of the Fortress of Chinon, the mighty Vienne river stretches westwards through a broad, wooded valley, with the hillside homes of Chinon below.

The fortress occupies a long rocky spur above the river and was once a key royal stronghold. It was here, in 1429, that Joan of Arc met the future Charles VII before setting out to help change the course of the Hundred Years’ War.

“In Touraine, even the silence tells a story.”

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Part of the “Taken in Touraine” Series

Every Thursday, we pause somewhere in Touraine — a village, a vineyard, or a quiet riverside — to capture the spirit of this timeless Loire region.

 Discover more about the Loire Valley
Browse the full series

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Welcome to July...Loches in Southern Touraine.

 

The Dunjon at Loches.