A favourite little bridge - taken in Touraine.

The little bridge over Le Bignon at Paulmy is one of those quiet corners that visitors often discover by chance. Beside the village's plan d'eau (recreational lake), it provides a pleasant place to pause before continuing through the gentle countryside of southern Touraine.

Paulmy lies close to the borders of Berry and Poitou, an area where streams, small rivers and woodland have shaped both the landscape and village life for centuries. Today, places like this are valued less for transport than for the peaceful setting they provide for walkers, anglers and anyone seeking a slower pace.

The stream Le Bignon may appear modest, but waterways like this have long been essential to rural communities. They watered livestock, powered small mills, irrigated nearby meadows and helped define parish and property boundaries. Many of the footbridges found across Touraine today stand where generations of villagers have crossed these streams for hundreds of years.

“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

© Experience Loire — Taken in Touraine · Back to Home

Thursday's taken in Touraine - it has to be bridges

Chaumussay

Preuilly-sur-Claise

Descartes

Le Grand-Pressigny

Tuesday for towns in the Loire Valley - Amboise and its bridge.

The town of Amboise has much to offer visitors to the Loire Valley and if you arrive via its bridge,Pont General Leclerc, over the river Loire it is not difficult to see its attraction. The long length of the bridge is supported half way across the river on the island of 'Ile d'Or.'

If you arrive on the town side of the bridge it is worth the stroll across the bridge to take in the view from the island.
It is not the original bridge as that was blown up by the locals in an effort to slow down the advance of the German army after the fall of Paris in 1940 as it was an important crossing over the Loire.

You can see some good aerial views of the bridge here: https://bit.ly/2V0TMUS

Monday's Loire Valley Chateau on a week of 'bridges' - it has to be Chateau de Chenonceau

We are going to  have a week featuring the bridges of the Centre -Val de Loire and starting the week with probably the most iconic - Chateau de Cheonceau bridging the river Cher.

Henri II gave it to his mistress Diane de Poitiers who added the bridge over the Cher. On his death, Catherine de Medici, forced Diane out of Chenonceau and proceeded to build the gallery and grand ballroom on Diane’s bridge which finally gave the chateau its now iconic look.