Gardens at Loches...

Continuing our tour of Loches in Southern Touraine the public gardens are worth a visit if you are visiting the town. The local authorities in France take great pride in their public places and Loches is no exception. The planting and landscaping concentrates on local  plants and flowers.You also get the added benefit of  great views of  its royal lodgings dungeon and church.

The gardens can be accessed by either leaving the centre of town via the Porte des Cordeliers and crossing the river Indre before turning right after a short walk or by parking at Place Quintefol at the other side of the  gardens again by the river Indre.

The gardens are a good mix of trees, shrubs and flowers with some additional attractive features such as the  bandstand. It Is delightful any time of year.

Looking back towards the gates.

Looking up at the dungeons from the gardens.

 We would suggest you make time to visit these lovely gardens - if you take the kids they are also catered for with a small play park in the corner of the gardens.

Lovely Loches...

A favourite place in Southern Touraine here in the Loire Valley for many visitors is the medieval town of Loches. There are many reasons for this, its lively markets,its festivals, its restaurants but mainly for its charm in the actual fabric of the town itself. It has managed to retain a great deal of its character while still embracing modern living.

                     Let us take you around the walls of this lovely town to show you what we mean.

We will we normally start at the impressive 'Porte Royale' where there are many parking spaces if you get there early enough                                       

         

              

  On this visit we are not taking you through the gate,we will save that for another time ...

        

                   but instead we are going to continue along 'Mall du Dunjon' by the walls of the town,

Then left around behind the dunjon walls itself

As you look up at the dunjon you are passing under its gardens 'Parc Bachet' and here you will find an opportunity to buy some real estate which would allow you to have an prestigious  neighbour.

Continuing along 'Bvd,Philippe Auguste' takes you past the impressive St Ours church high up on your left...

then further town towards the busier end of the town with the royal lodgings dominating the skyline.

You will have to take a slight detour left to catch the impressive 'Porte Cordeliers'

Then you can make your way back to the centre of town or your car via the rambling streets of the old town.

The Ladies'skirts are off...

One of the few criticisms we have had from visitors to our houses here in the Loire Valley over the last few years has been the fact that their visit to Chateau de Chenonceau, the Loire's most popular, has been marred by the fact that it has been clad in scaffolding to some extent or another. This was due to a renovation project over the last three years to spruce but the good news is that the work has now finished. So visitors can now view this beautiful chateau in all her splendour. Chateau de Chenonceau is often described as ‘the ladies chateau’ as throughout its history it is women who have most influenced its design and its destiny

2012 Chaumont Garden Festival

The theme for this years Garden Festival at Chateau Chaumont-sur-Loire has been announced. The 2012 Festival will run from April 25th  until the 14th October with the theme "Gardens of Delight, gardens delusions"

Last year ( 2011 ) we visited  Chaumont garden festival in late April to check it out at an earlier stage,normally we'd wait until the gardens are well established. We were not sure if we would be disappointed with the plantings perhaps not being mature enough but where we could see that there was quite a bit to look forward to, the gardens were still a delight. We will not be able to look at a wooden crate again without thinking of skyscrapers - inspired.

A visit to the festival is a very good day out - if you haven't been you should try it.

The four seasons...

The Loire Valley is not just for summer, part of this beautiful region's charm is that unlike some parts of the country it has clearly defined seasons, Not many people would choose to take their annual holidays in mid-winter but thankfully here this season isn't very long and before we know it spring is bursting around us! Below are various seasonal photographs to hopefully give you a taste of what the experience is like.

Spring by L'etang de la Forge near Chambon in Southern Touraine

Sunflowers of summer near Loches.

Wild flowers outside of autumn in field near Barrou...

. See more autumn pics here...

Winter roofs in Le grand Pressigny

See more winter pics.here...

A walk around...Montresor

 Click here to view...