Rue du Docteur Paul Martinais in Loches.

Rue du Docteur Paul Martinais is the principal route connecting the historic towns of Loches and Beaulieu-lès-Loches.

This photograph was taken just before crossing the former railway track, where the street becomes Rue des Ponts, a name that seems entirely appropriate for what comes next. The change of name is a small detail but these little transitions are often what make walking around Loches so interesting.

What's in a name: who exactly was - doctor Paul Martinais?

“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 Touraine” Series

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

See more from Experience Loire

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Rue de la Mairie, Villandry: on the streets of Touraine

Rue de la Mairie runs through the centre of Villandry towards the château. The village has much older roots than its famous Renaissance château might suggest: it was originally known as Colombiers, and that name remained in use until 1639.

There's also a nice historical detail here. In 1189, the 'Peace of Colombiers' was agreed at the medieval fortress that stood on the site of today's château, when Henry II of England recognised Richard the Lionheart as his heir.

 Rue Principale

This is Villandry as a village, rather than just as the famous château and gardens.

“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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the Streets of Touraine — Chinon

Chinon's medieval streets still follow the same narrow lanes laid out centuries ago, with timber-framed houses leaning gently towards one another. It's a town best explored on foot, where every corner seems to reveal another piece of its long history.

Many of Chinon's half-timbered houses date from the 15th and 16th centuries. Their upper floors were often built to project over the street, giving homeowners a little extra living space while keeping these medieval lanes pleasantly shaded during the summer.

“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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the Streets of Touraine — rue du Chateau in Crissay-sur-Manse.

Crissay-sur-Manse is regularly included among Les Plus Beaux Villages de France , a distinction reserved for villages with exceptional heritage and carefully preserved character. 

The village has fewer than 100 permanent residents, yet its 15th and 16th-century tuffeau stone houses and the ruins of its medieval château have earned it national recognition as one of France's most beautiful villages,you will have to visit yourself to see if this is deserved.

“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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the Streets of Touraine - in La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin.

Rue de l'Abbé Favoreau runs through the center of La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin , a village whose history goes back much further than its quiet appearance might suggest. The settlement is first recorded in the 10th century, and by the 12th century it was surrounded by defensive walls, although no trace of them survives today.

The village also has a strong connection with Saint Martin of Tours, reflected in its present name. In fact, the name La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin is relatively recent: the commune adopted it in 1918, partly to distinguish it from La Chapelle-sur-Loire.

One of the most intriguing stories associated with the village concerns Abbé Alphonse Marcault , parish priest from 1885 to 1921. He became convinced that several of the miracles attributed to Saint Martin had actually taken place here rather than at La Chapelle-sur-Loire. His investigations even led to the discovery in 1902 of a 15th-century Pietà , which had been hidden behind a wall since the Wars of Religion. The sculpture, attributed to the Tourangeau sculptor Michel Colombe, is now a listed historic monument.

More on the church here.

“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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the Streets of the Touraine - Rue Rabelais, Chinon.

Tucked into the heart of medieval Chinon, Rue Rabelais is one of those inviting streets that encourages you to slow your pace. Lined with small boutiques and cafés, it offers a glimpse of the town's relaxed atmosphere and centuries of history.

Named after the great Renaissance writer François Rabelais, who was born nearby in La Devinière, the street reflects the spirit of a region where literature, history and fine food have long gone hand in hand. Whether you're browsing local shops, enjoying lunch on a terrace or simply wandering through the old town, Rue Rabelais is a reminder that Chinon's greatest pleasures are often found away from its famous fortress.

Although François Rabelais was born just outside Chinon around 1494, he affectionately celebrated the town and the surrounding countryside in his writings. His larger-than-life characters, Gargantua and Pantagruel, are filled with references to the Loire Valley's vineyards, food and humour, making Chinon forever linked with one of France's greatest literary figures.

“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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

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.”

---

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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the Streets of Touraine, Rue Charles VIII, Langeais

Rue Charles VIII curves gently through the heart of Langeais , where cafés, old stone buildings and the church spire create a scene that feels unchanged by time. It's a street that invites you to slow your pace, perhaps pause for a coffee, before continuing towards the castle.

Rue Charles VIII is named after King Charles VIII, whose marriage to Anne of Brittany took place in the nearby Château de Langeais in 1491. The marriage united the Duchy of Brittany with the French Crown, one of the defining political events in French history. Here, visitors strolling along the street are only a few minutes from the castle where that historic ceremony unfolded.

Happy Saturday in Touraine!

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

---

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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the streets of Touraine - Le Grand-Pressigny.

Rue du Four Banal in Le Grand-Pressigny sitting below the wall of the chateau, takes its name from the 'four banal', the communal oven that formed part of everyday life under the feudal system. Rather than baking at home, villagers were required to use the local lord’s oven and pay a fee for the privilege. Similar obligations could apply to mills and wine presses. 

What feels like a quiet village lane today carries the memory of a time when even baking bread was regulated, the old oven itself on the street is free to visit.

Bon samedi dans la Touraine !

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

---

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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the Streets of Touraine : Rue des Moulins, Loches.

Take away the road signs and there is very little here to indicate that this is the twenty-first century. On Rue des Moulins in Loches the view could belong to almost any century of the town’s long history.

Loches has a habit of revealing itself gradually. A quiet street becomes an old façade, the façades lead the eye upward and suddenly the royal city appears above the rooftops as if it has always been there.

This is one of Touraine’s best-preserved medieval towns and was once a favoured residence of French kings. Walking its lower streets, it is easy to forget that the ordinary streetscape and the historic skyline have existed side by side for hundreds of years.

Bon samedi dans la Touraine !

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

---

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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the streets of Touraine - expect the unexpected.

Mosnes does not really have a traditional village square, instead, its church seems to sit almost like an island in the middle of the street, with everyday life flowing around it rather than gathering in front of it.

That unusual layout makes this scene feel all the more unexpected. Beside the church, a trio of metal musicians appear permanently mid-performance, turning what might otherwise be a passageway into a stage. Old stone, quiet streets and contemporary sculpture create one of those small Touraine moments that reward slowing down.

It is the sort of place where you realise that village centres are not always planned spaces, sometimes they simply evolve around whatever was already there.

Bon samedi dans la Touraine !

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

---

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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the streets of Touraine - in Azay-le-Rideau

A lovely morning on Rue du Château in Azay-le-Rideau, where flower baskets, souvenir shops, and quiet storefronts lead visitors toward one of the Loire Valley’s most celebrated châteaux. 

Streets like this still carry the easy pace of a town shaped by tourism, local life and centuries of history along the Indre River.

Bon samedi dans la Touraine !

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

---

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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the streets of Touraine - in Langeais.

In Langeais, history never feels very far away. Around Place Pierre de Brosse, everyday life continues beneath the shadow of the old château tower, where centuries of stories seem to rise above the rooftops.

Walking the streets here, you notice how naturally the medieval and the modern sit together. Langeais is often remembered for its château and royal history, but the streets themselves are just as memorable. They carry that unmistakable Touraine atmosphere, calm, lived-in and quietly timeless.

Bon samedi dans la Touraine !

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

---

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.

See more from Experience Loire

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

On the Streets of Touraine: Rue du Lavoir, Chedigny

In the village of Chédigny, Rue du Lavoir is especially beautiful in the days leading up to the annual rose festival. Like today, climbing roses spill across façades and garden walls, giving the village its quiet, timeless character.

Known throughout Touraine for its remarkable rose displays, Chédigny became France’s first village to receive the “Remarkable Garden” label. In late spring, before the festival crowds arrive, the streets feel peaceful and full of colour, with roses already beginning to cover windows, gates, and doorways.

Rue du Lavoir is one of those small village streets that invites a slow walk and a pause to 'smell the roses'.

Bon samedi dans la Touraine !

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

---

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.

See more from Experience Loire

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