Monday's Loire Valley chateau — Chateau d'Amboise...looking up!

Standing on Rue de la Concorde in Amboise, the château rises above you like a carved stone cliff. Layers of history stack upward, defensive walls, elegant Renaissance windows and a skyline of spires shaped by centuries of kings and architects.

From this angle, the building feels almost weightless despite its size, the details unfolding only as you look higher. A reminder that in the Loire, even familiar landmarks can feel different when seen from below.

“Some views in the Loire Valley aren’t found — they’re discovered by looking up.”

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Part of the “Château Mondays” Series

Each week, a different corner of the Loire’s château landscape — perspectives, details, and quiet architectural moments that define the region.

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Mon banc dominical — My Sunday Bench...Bléré

Bléré — cold comfort beside the church.

There are quiet corners in the Loire Valley where time seems to loosen its hold. A simple bench, a stone wall, a church tower — and suddenly the world feels softer, slower.

This bench in Bléré carries that kind of stillness. A place where footsteps echo lightly, where the air holds a chill you somehow don’t mind, and where sitting for a moment feels less like a pause and more like a small act of care.

“In the Loire, calm settles in the spaces we almost overlook.”

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Part of the “Mon banc dominical” Series

Each week, a quiet bench somewhere in the Loire — small places where slowing down feels natural.

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On the Streets of the Touraine...rue Victor Hugo in Amboise.

Amboise, Rue Victor Hugo, a quiet corner of everyday Loire life.

Today we are on Rue Victor Hugo in Amboise which carries a sense of gentle continuity, homes leaning toward each other as the street slips down toward the château.

At this time of year mornings begin quietly, with footsteps echoing between stone walls and the scent of fireplaces drifting through narrow lanes. By afternoon, the street settles into its familiar stillness, sunlight brushing the façades in soft colour.

“Some streets speak softly, yet say everything.”

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Part of the “On the Streets of Touraine” Series

Each Saturday, we explore the lanes and villages of the Loire, places where everyday life meets centuries of history.

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Bon week-end from the Loire Valley...a peaceful Chateau de Montresor.

Château de Montresor, Loire Valley, reflected in the still water as the village settles into the weekend.

It's Friday, we slow down here in the Loire Valley, where weekends arrive quietly, with soft light, calm water, and space to breathe.

In Montresor, a village often described as one of the most beautiful in France, the café fills gently, neighbours pause to talk and the first glasses of wine are poured as evening begins.

Here, bon week-end isn’t just a phrase, it’s a small ritual the region knows well.

“In the Loire, the weekend begins with light, and ends with gratitude.”

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Part of the “Bon week-end from the Loire” Series

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

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© Experience Loire — Bon week-end from the Loire · Back to Home

Thursday's 'taken in Touraine'...in Amboise.

Rue Victor Hugo, Amboise — an unusual façade with twin arched doorways.

Each post in this series highlights a detail from Touraine, a building, a lane, or a quiet corner that reveals something of the Loire region.

This image was taken in Amboise. The house’s paired arched doors and brick arches give it a character that stands out from the neighbouring façades.

Architectural surprises like this are small invitations to look more closely at the places we pass every day.

“In Touraine, every street has a story — some simply whisper a little louder.”

Part of the “Taken in Touraine” Series

A continuing look at the towns, villages and architecture of the Loire Valley.

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© Experience Loire — Taken in Touraine · Back to Home

Simple festive balcony dressing in Tours.

Rue des Halles, Tours— a festive touch above the street.

On Rue des Halles, in Tours, this weathered window carries a simple decoration of evergreen and bright red bows. The soft paint, aged shutters, and quiet elegance feel unmistakably Loire Valley — a gentle mix of tradition and lived-in warmth.

“Some windows speak softly — offering a hint of life, colour, and the passing season.”

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Part of the “Windows of the Loire” Series

A continuing look at the Loire Valley through its windows — each one offering a small story in glass, stone, and light.

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Towns & Villages of the Loire Valley...Amboise getting into Christmas.

Amboise, festive charm beneath the Château’s Chapel of Saint-Hubert.

Each Tuesday we wander through the towns and villages of the Loire Valley, those places where time seems to slow and life gathers around a square, a river, or a quiet lane.

In Amboise, the approach to the château takes on a different character in winter. Below the Chapel of Saint-Hubert, with its delicate late-Gothic stonework, Christmas trees and seasonal decorations brighten the walkway. The historic setting and festive details sit comfortably together, adding a quiet charm to this corner of the Loire Valley.

“Every village and town in the Loire tells its own story softly.”

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Part of the “Towns & Villages of the Loire” Series

Each Tuesday, we visit one of the Loire Valley’s towns or villags of the Loire Valley — their streets, stories, and quiet beauty.

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© Experience Loire — Towns & Villages of the Loire · Back to Home

Château d’Azay-le-Rideau...night and day.

Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, one of the Loire’s most elegant Renaissance masterpieces.

At the heart of the Loire Valley stands Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, a perfect blend of French Renaissance harmony and quiet grandeur. Its pale stone, delicately carved windows, and pointed towers give it the air of a château that was designed more to be admired than defended.

Built on an island in the Indre River, Azay-le-Rideau is often known for its mirror-like water reflections but approaching it from the front reveals just how refined and balanced its architecture truly is. A château of symmetry, softness, and understated beauty night or day.

“Some châteaux impress with power, Azay-le-Rideau charms with elegance”

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Part of the “Châteaux of the Loire” Series

Each post explores a different Loire château — its history, its atmosphere, and the quiet moments that make each one unforgettable.

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© Experience Loire — Châteaux of the Loire · Back to Home

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench on Place Jean-Jaurès in Tours.

Place Jean-Jaurès, Tours — a quiet moment in the city.

In the heart of Tours, the benches of Place Jean-Jaurès offer a gentle pause. Even in the bustle of the Loire Valley's largest city, there are places where you can catch your breath.

This bench, surrounded by winter plantings and the calm geometry of the square, is a reminder that stillness can be found anywhere, even at the centre of a city.

“Sometimes all you need is a bench, a square, and a moment to breathe.”

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Part of the “Mon banc dominical” Series

Each post shares 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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Saturday on the streets of Touraine...Rue du Change, Tours.

Rue du Change, Tours — the charm of everyday Loire life.

November on Rue du Change in Tours, the half-timbered façades lean gently over the cobbles, as if keeping centuries of stories close and revealing that actually not much has changed.

In the morning, cafés set out their chairs and the old street slowly wakes. By afternoon, the light softens, slipping between slate roofs and timber frames.  

“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...Place Plumereau.

Place Plumereau, Tours — a calm pause between two lively weeks.

It's Friday, and here in the Loire Valley, the weekend begins gently, Place Plumereau holding its breath under pale autumn light. And yet the charm remains the same — the half-timbered houses watching over the square, the promise of cafés opening their terraces again soon.

Here, bon week-end isn’t just something we say — it’s a way of slowing down, noticing the details, and letting Touraine set the pace.

“In the Touraine, even the quiet moments shine.”

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Part of the “Bon week-end from the Loire” Series

Each Friday, we share a simple Loire moment — a gentle start to your weekend.

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Thursday's taken in Touraine...in Le Petit-Pressigny

Taken in Touraine

Le Petit-Pressigny — the former mairie, now a gîte in Southern Touraine.

Every Thursday, we wander through the landscapes and villages of Touraine, where time follows the gentle flow of the Loire.

This week’s scene comes from Le Petit-Pressigny, where the former mairie — now a charming gîte, stands quietly at the centre of village life. Soft limestone, classic proportions, and a hint of early winter light give it that unmistakable Touraine calm.

Here, Touraine’s beauty is never hurried; it invites you to pause, breathe, and listen to the echo of its history.

“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
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© Experience Loire — Taken in Touraine · Back to Home

Wednesday for windows...early Christmas dressing in historic Place Plumereau.

Tours — early Christmas dressing in historic Place Plumereau.

Today in Place Plumereau, Tours, the festive season arrives early, wrapping the old limestone façades in garlands, ribbons, and soft Christmas colour. Even in winter light, these windows carry a warmth that feels timeless, a quiet celebration of the Loire’s gentle rhythm.

“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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© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Place Jean-Jaurès, Tours ushers in the Loire’s Christmas season

Place Jean-Jaurès, Tours — festive lights usher in the Loire’s winter season

Each Tuesday, we wander through the towns and villages that shape the Loire Valley, from riverside villages to lively city squares.

This was Place Jean-Jaurès in Tours today, getting ready for Christmas, festive decorations, illuminated sculptures and winter atmosphere in one of the Loire Valley’s most elegant city squares. Part of the “Towns & Villages of the Loire” Tuesday series.

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Part of the “Towns & Villages of the Loire” Series

Every Tuesday, a new corner of the Loire Valley — market squares, riverside streets, quiet chapels, and vibrant neighbourhoods.

Discover more about the Loire Valley
Browse the full series

© Experience Loire — Towns & Villages of the Loire · Back to Home

Monday's chateau...Chateau de La Guerche

Every Monday, we begin the week among the châteaux of the Loire, each a masterpiece of stone, history, and imagination.

This week we visit Château de La Guerche, where an autumn sunset burns softly behind its riverside towers, casting warm light across the Creuse and deepening the colours of the surrounding valley.

The Loire châteaux are more than monuments; they’re the poetry of an age carved in tuffeau stone, reminders of beauty, ambition, and the passage of centuries.

“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

© Experience Loire — Châteaux of the Loire · Back to Home

Mon Banc Dominical — My Sunday Bench...in Preuilly-sur-Claise.

Our bench today sits outside the Mairie in Preuilly-sur-Claise, which  slows to a whisper and the empty bench awaits the reawaking of the town.

“In the Touraine, even silence has a landscape.”

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Part of the “Mon Banc Dominical — Loire” Series

Each Sunday, we find a quiet bench somewhere in the Loire Valley — in a village, by the river, or beneath old stone walls — to capture a moment of stillness.

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© Loire Valley — Mon Banc Dominical · Back to Home

On the streets of Touraine...Rue de la République in Preuilly-sur-Claise.

Saturdays are for wandering, for letting the streets of the Touraine lead wherever they please. Here, every doorway, street and quiet lane feels like a gentle conversation with time.

Here we are looking down Rue de la République in Preuilly-sur-Claise in Southern Touraine which once formed part of the Gallo-Roman road from Tournon Saint-Pierre to Le Mans with the original ford over the river Claise being at the bottom of the hill.

In the early afternoon autumnal light, little stirs on the street that perhaps once witnessed marching centurions and now plays host to the town’s Salle des Fêtes.

“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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© Experience Loire — On the Streets of the Loire · Back to Home

Château d’Ussé...bon week-end.

Bon weekend from the Château d’Ussé — where the Loire takes its time.

It’s Friday, and here in the Loire Valley we slip gently into the weekend. Light softens, the river steadies, and the hours stretch out just a little further.

Fridays here aren’t about rushing toward the weekend but stepping into it slowly, one glass raised, one laugh shared, one breath at a time.

“In the Loire, the weekend begins with stillness — and ends with gratitude.”

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Part of the “Bon week-end from the Loire” Series

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

Discover more from the Loire

© Experience Loire — Bon week-end from the Loire · Back to Home

Taken in Touraine...reflections on the Claise.

Every Thursday, we wander through the landscapes and villages of Touraine, where time follows the gentle flow of the Loire.

This week’s scene comes from Preuilly-sur-Claise, where the Abbey is reflected on the river Claise and the willows fall like curtains. A quiet moment suspended between reflection and sky.

Here,Touraine’s beauty is never hurried, it invites you to pause, breathe, and listen to the echo of its history.

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

---

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

© Experience Loire — Take

Wednesday for – when is a window not a window?

Rue du Petit-Saint-Martin, Tours — a window that now opens only into imagination.

Each Wednesday, we look more closely at the windows of the Loire the quiet details that hold the region’s character in stone, timber, and memory.

On Rue du Petit-Saint-Martin in Tours, this window no longer opens to light or air. Instead, its shutter has become a canvas, transformed by a delicate mural of a woman emerging from the old wood as though she belongs to the history of the street.

Here, a window is not a window at all but a story painted onto a forgotten frame. In the Loire Valley beauty has a habit of appearing where you least expect it.

“Sometimes even a sealed window offers a view.”

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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 unexpected stories.

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Towns & Villages of the Loire...Langeais, one of the Loire’s quiet treasures.

In Langeais, the soft evening light touches the tuffeau stone, warming the bridge, the château’s towers and the tall church spire that watches over the rooftops. Below, the lanes wind gently between gardens, workshops, and calm façades that carry centuries of quiet stories.

“Every village in the Loire tells its story softly — in shutters, in bells, in the scent of bread and morning air.”

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Part of the “Towns & Villages of the Loire” Series

Each Tuesday, we visit one of the Loire Valley’s towns or villages — their streets, stories, and quiet beauty.

Browse the full series

© Experience Loire — Towns & Villages of the Loire · Back to Home

Château de Sully-sur-Loire...Monday's Loire Valley chateau.

Château de Sully-sur-Loire sits like a storybook keep, its rounded towers mirrored in the calm moat. The grey stone and crenellated silhouette hold centuries of history, while the soft afternoon light and drifting clouds give the scene a quiet, leisurely mood.

These châteaux are more than architecture, they are placekeepers of memory. Walk the ramparts and you can feel time layered in the stones, battles, banquets, and long river days folding into one another across the Loire.

“Un lundi au bord du donjon — l’histoire reflétée dans l’eau”

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Part of the “Loire Mondays” Series

Each Monday we visit a château of the Loire — its light, its stones, and the stories reflected along the riverbank.

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© Loire Mondays · Château de Sully-sur-Loire

Labels: Loire Monday, Loire Valley, Château, Sully-sur-Loire, Castles, France, Travel, Photography

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench...Barrou.

Bench beside the cemetery wall, Barrou — waiting, watching and oddly hopeful.

Waiting for Godot? A lone bench outside the old cemetery of Barrou, watching over the stone wall and the wide fields beyond. It’s the sort of place where time slows and memories hangs in the air. There is a tenderness in its emptiness, a gentle invitation, holding its breath between the past and the present.

“A bench is a modest theatre of patience.”

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Part of the “Sunday Bench — Loire” Series

Each Sunday we find a bench in the Loire — a simple place to pause, reflect, and listen to the slow rhythm of the region.

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© Streets of the Loire — Sunday Bench · Back to Home

Streets of the Loire...in Blois a city of layers.

In Blois, this little street tilts toward the river like a quiet thought. light slips between shutters, a florist opens early and someone carries the day’s first basket of errands down the slope. Above it all, a pink umbrella, a remnant from 'Octobre Rose', hangs giving a splash of colour against the limestone calm.

Blois is a city of layers: medieval passages, Renaissance façades, and traces of kings and revolutions woven into everyday life. On a Saturday morning, none of that is evident, what you feel instead is the gentleness of a place that still moves at a human pace.

“In the Loire, even the quiet streets know how to welcome a weekend.”

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Part of the “Streets of the Loire” Series

Each Saturday, we explore a moment from the Loire Valley — its streets, its textures, and its quietly unfolding stories.

Browse the full series

© Streets of the Loire · Back to Home

Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire in the Loire Valley ,where history stands quietly, even as the weekend begins...bon week-end.

It’s Friday in the Loire Valley and the week eases into a gentler pace, id that is possible!  Behind the ancient stone walls of Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire, time seems to settle and the château watches the seasons turn as they have for centuries.

From the winding rivers to the quiet villages, Friday here feels like a soft exhale, a moment to breathe, wander and let the world slow down. The weekend arrives not with rush, but with calm.

In the Loire, bon week-end is a small ritual of beauty, history, and restorative peace.

“Have a good weekend from all of us here in Centre-Val de Loire.”

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Part of the “Bon week-end from the Loire” Series

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

Discover more from the Loire

© Experience Loire — Bon week-end from the Loire ·

Thursday's 'taken in Touraine'...Chateau d'Amboise, dressed for autumn.

Château d'Amboise wears autumn well, warm stone set against a sky of soft cloud, the terraces and towers softened by the season’s palette.

The château sits like a memory made visible, turrets caught between late leaves and the light that turns every roof and garden into a study in amber. The town at its feet slowly gathers the day’s tasks while the château watches over the valley, patient and unchanged.

This is Touraine in slow motion, a landscape of history and the quiet costume of autumn.

“Thursday in the Loire — Taken in Touraine”

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Part of the “Taken in Touraine” Series

Each Thursday we share a view from Touraine — châteaux, villages and the quiet corners that shape the Loire Valley’s character.

See the full series here:

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© Experience Loire — Taken in Touraine · Back to Home

Wednesday foe windows...on Rue De Bordeaux in Tours.

In Tours — modernity framed by nightlights.

Night falls in Tours and the windows of Printemps glow softly against the quiet street — reflections of elegance, light, and a little history in glass.

“Through every window, Tours 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.

See more from Experience Loire

© Experience Loire — Windows of the Loire · Back to Home

Towns & Villages of the Centre Val-de-Loire...Aubigny-sur-Nère.

 Aubigny-sur-Nère - a little taste of Scotland.

Aubigny-sur-Nère feels like stepping into a storybook. Cobblestone streets, halftimbered houses, whisper tales of its Scottish past, a legacy of the Stuart family and the historic Auld Alliance.

The town has a strong attachment to the Scots, due to its 400 years of French-Scottish history and still celebrates this long association each year, on Bastille day with a parade of bagpipes ,tartan and more. 

“.Aubigny-sur-Nère: history, charm, and a little bit of Scotland… all in one enchanting Loire town”

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Part of the “Towns & Villages of the Loire” Series

Each Tuesday, we visit one of the Loire Valley’s towns or villags of the Loire Valley — their streets, stories, and quiet beauty.

Browse the full series

© Experience Loire — Towns & Villages of the Loire · Back to Home

Monday's chateau...Chateau de Montpoupon,

The formidable Château de Montpoupon stands between forest and field, its towers softened by time and light. Though perhaps less known than its royal neighbours, it’s a place that tells quieter stories, of hunting lodges, noble families and a France that balanced elegance with endurance.

Inside, the rooms still echo with the rhythm of daily life table settings, riding gear, and portraits that look back with composed familiarity. Outside, the round tower leans slightly, watching centuries of seasons drift by the forest edge.

Montpoupon reminds us that not all châteaux need grandeur to impress, although grand enough some win you over with intimacy, craftsmanship, and a sense of continuity.

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

---

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

© Experience Loire — Châteaux of the Loire · Back to Home

Mon banc dominical — My Sunday Bench...Saché

Saché— a Sunday moment of stillness.

Sunday in the Loire Valley asks nothing of you, only to sit, to look, to breathe. The world slows here, as if time itself rests on a quiet bench near a church.

This bench in Saché offers cold comfort on an autumn morning.

“On Sundays, the Touraine 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

© Experience Loire — Mon banc dominical · Back to Home

On the streets of Touraine - Pl. des Halles in Tours

Tours — where the glass of Les Halles meets the stone of the old town.

In the heart of Tours, the old and the new simply walk side by side. Here the modern lines of Les Halles meet the stone bell towers and domed silhouettes of the historic centre, a small, everyday conversation between eras.

On a Saturday morning the street gently stirs: market stalls beginning to arrange their colours, café tables waiting for the first espresso, and locals passing with the steady rhythm of errands and plans. The Tour de l'Horloge and the dome of the Basilique de St-Martin keeps watch behind it all, a reminder that history is never far from daily life in Touraine.

This is a view that asks you to look twice, not because the contrast is startling but because the city wears its layers lightly. Modern purpose and old charm coexist here with a kind of quiet acceptance - the past remains visible, the present keeps working, and both find their place in the street.

“Tours — where continuity and change meet on the pavement.”

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Part of the “Streets of Touraine” Series

Each Saturday we wander through the streets of Touraine — where everyday life and living history meet.

Explore more of Touraine

© Experience Loire — Streets of Touraine · Back to Home