Monday's Château – Château de La Guerche

The elegant façade of Château de La Guerche provides more than a glimpse into the Loire Valley's past. Each summer it also becomes an open-air stage, where history and theatre come together beneath the evening sky.

Since 2019, Théâtre du Perron, an amateur theatre company has transformed the château into a unique performance venue. Using the château itself as a dramatic backdrop, the company brings classical works to life in an atmospheric setting that few traditional theatres can match.

This year's production is Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare, proving that some of the playwright's themes, justice, power and morality, remain as relevant today as they were more than 400 years ago.

Whether you're visiting for the architecture or an evening of culture, Château de La Guerche offers a memorable blend of heritage and live performance.

Unlike many château performances staged in temporary marquees, Théâtre du Perron performs directly in front of the château's historic façade. As darkness falls and the building is illuminated, the architecture becomes part of the scenery, creating a natural stage set that changes with the evening light.

Happy Monday in the Loire Valley!

“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.

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Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench - more at Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire.

More benches from this year’s visit to the International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire. These are some you will find as you walk through the gardens and grounds and not necessarily part of the festival gardens themselves. 

At the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire this year's gardens are designed around the theme 'The garden goes to the movies'.

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

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Part of the “My Sunday Bench” 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.

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On the streets of Sancerre, Cher, Centre- Val de Loire.

The heart of Sancerre is more than just a pretty square. Perched high above the Loire Valley, this hilltop town has welcomed merchants, pilgrims and wine lovers for centuries. Today, Place Nouvelle is where visitors pause over a coffee or lunch before wandering the narrow streets or setting off to explore the vineyards that have made Sancerre famous around the world.

Although best known for its celebrated Sauvignon Blanc wines, Sancerre is also a town with a long medieval history, its elevated position once making it an important defensive stronghold overlooking the surrounding countryside.

In the 16th century, Sancerre endured an eight-month siege during the French Wars of Religion. Cut off from supplies, the townspeople survived through remarkable ingenuity, and the siege became one of the most famous episodes in the town's history. Today, it's difficult to imagine such hardship while sitting peacefully in Place Nouvelle with a glass of local wine.

“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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Have a good weekend...try and stay cool.

Loches

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.

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And so it continues...baking in Touraine.

Under a deep blue sky, this vast field of sunflowers stretches towards the horizon, each bloom turned towards the sunshine that has brought another spell of temperatures above 30°C.

These golden fields are one of the defining sights of the Touraine countryside during July and August. Grown primarily for their seeds and oil, they also provide an important source of food for bees and other pollinators before the harvest begins.

With the warm air shimmering above the fields and hardly a cloud in the sky, it's easy to see why locals have been saying that Touraine is baking this week.

Although sunflowers are now closely associated with the French countryside, they are not native to France. They originated in North America and were brought to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. It wasn't until the 18th and 19th centuries that they became widely cultivated across France, and today the Centre-Val de Loire region is one of the country's major sunflower-growing areas.

“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.

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Wednesday for Windows – Chapelle Saint-Louis, Champigny-sur-Veude

Some of the Loire Valley's most remarkable windows are found where you least expect them.

Hidden away in the quiet village of Champigny-sur-Veude , the Chapelle Saint-Louis is a true architectural treasure. Its soaring Gothic vaults and magnificent stained-glass windows fill the chapel with color, creating an atmosphere that rivals some of France's most celebrated churches.

Built in the early 16th century by the powerful Bourbon-Montpensier family, the chapel is often overlooked by visitors rushing between the Loire Valley's famous châteaux. Those who make the detour are rewarded with one of the region's finest collections of Renaissance stained glass.

The greatest surprise about Chapelle Saint-Louis is its location. You might expect such an impressive royal chapel to stand in a major city, yet it is tucked away in a village of fewer than a thousand residents. Historians sometimes compare it to Sainte-Chapelle in Paris because of its remarkable stained-glass windows, making it one of the Loire Valley's best-kept secrets and one of its most unexpected artistic treasures.

See more on the chapel here.

“Through every window, the Loire breathes — calm, patient, and quietly luminous.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

Each Wednesday, we share a glimpse of the Loire Valley through its windows — small frames of everyday beauty and quiet reflection.

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