The best road cycling routes around Écueillé

Magnificent castle and beautiful climb to reach the foot

Built in the 1760s, the Château de Bouges located near Valençay elegantly illustrates the arts of the 18th century. When Claude Leblanc de Carnaval bought the estate in 1765, the old building present until then was razed to make way for an “Italian-style house”. This new, up-to-date construction displays the ambition of the rich ironmaster, who managed to rise in the world of Parisian finance and was recently ennobled. Ruined twelve years later, his castle was seized and sold. During the 19th century, successive buyers included the Prince of Talleyrand and Henri Dufour, who restored the castle and had the park landscaped in the English style. The Château de Bouges owes its transformation above all to the Viguier couple: Henry, director of a Parisian department store, and his wife Renée. Acquired in 1917, the Château de Bouges regained its initial vocation as a sumptuous residence. The Viguier couple brought the castle back to life with the acquisition of exceptional furniture dating from the 18th century, which wonderfully expresses the taste for well-being and refinement specific to the society of that era in harmony with the setting. Left without descendants, they bequeathed the castle to the State in 1967. Of elegant Italian construction, the charm of this castle lies in its inhabited appearance. A visit that will transport you to the elegance of the 18th century! After visiting the castle, be sure to discover the English-style park designed by the landscaper Achille Duchêne at the beginning of the 20th century. The winding paths allow you to discover varied views of the Château de Bouges all along the walk. The stone balustrade separates the park from the French garden where boxwood embroidery and trimmed yews are bordered by lime trees. The old vegetable garden, transformed into a flower garden by Madame Viguier, is today dedicated to the cultivation of flowers used for the composition of the bouquets which adorn the rooms of the castle. A visit to the outbuildings made up of the stables, the saddlery and the orangery allows you to discover Henri Viguier's passion for horse riding.

This castle dates from the 11th century. The castle cannot be visited because it is private property, but you can admire it from the outside.

This castle was built in the 13th or 14th century, modernized and enlarged during the Renaissance. From the 16th century it belonged to the Rochefort family. From the 18th century, the castle passed from family to family and is still privately owned today.

This castle has a rich history. The castle has many historic pieces of furniture, as well as a large park of around 50 hectares, alternating gardens and forests. It also played an important role during the Second World War, as a warehouse for the Louvre's works of art.

This pond is 3 km long. Its water is quite transparent. There is a sandy beach (unsupervised) where you can get into the water and swim.

Pretty village of Saint Aignan, the Domaine de Saint Aignan located on the banks of the Loire, houses a park and a castle dating from the end of the 19th century. This superb private property belongs to the Beaucorps family. The castle is available for rental.

Palluau-sur-Indre is a medieval town at the crossroads of the Route des Dames de Touraine and the Route des Plantagenêts. This village has fewer than 800 inhabitants but is home to a feudal castle from the 11th century and several houses from the 15th.