The best road cycling routes around Monts

Come and discover the Touraine in d'Azay-le-rideau. A pleasant centre has nice terraces to stay for a while. Discover the Château d'Azay-le-rideau and the park in English style and relax on the banks of the Indre on the island by the waterfall.

Built at the beginning of the 11th century, the Saint-Symphorien church in Azay-le-Rideau is a listed historical monument and bears witness to the architectural history of the region. Built in the pre-Romanesque style, on the remains of an "ecclesiola" from the Merovingian or Carolingian period, this building has survived the centuries and has undergone several extensions and renovations. Unfortunately, the years have not been kind to it and today signs of decay and structural disarray are visible: cracks, water infiltration, loosening of the roof tiles, decay of the tuff, etc. This deterioration is the result of the passage of time, previous extensions, but also of damage caused by conflicts, in particular the looting and confiscations by the German army between 1940 and 1942. Given these challenges, the complete restoration of the Saint-Symphorien church has become an urgent necessity. The restoration of the Saint-Symphorien church is much more than a simple restoration: it is an act of preserving the identity and history of the region, a symbol of collective commitment to heritage. Once the work is completed, the church will continue to play a central role in the cultural and social life of the community, providing a magnificent setting for artistic and cultural events and thus contributing to the prestige of the town of Azay-le-Rideau and its surroundings.

Situated on the banks of the Indre, from the bridge you have a beautiful view of the site and the beautiful 16th century mill.

In the heart of Touraine, in an enchanting setting where the delicate white of the tuffeau stone and the ever-changing green of the Indre River blend harmoniously, L'Islette welcomes you. The Renaissance château, nestled in the arms of the Indre River, is now home to the current owners. They are happy to share their home with visitors and show them the rooms currently occupied. In this way, they combine history and modernity to create a 21st-century château. L'Islette, where Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin were frequent guests and sheltered their passionate love life, invites you to be swept away by the romantic charm of the Indre Valley. Source: https://www.chateaudelislette.fr/

Beautiful tree growing in the wall of the village church

Small castle right on the Indre. The owner charges admission for the castle and the grounds. According to reviews, it's worth it.

Inhabited but still accessible castle with a beautiful park for a picnic.

The fruit of chance or the work of a mischievous bird, for almost two centuries in the small village of Cheillé, an oak tree has taken root in the wall of the church. More surprising: inside the Saint-Didier church (the patron saint of grape harvesters), we can guess nothing; the roots, invisible, have crept into the stone. When the Historical Monuments proposed the idea of uprooting this tree, because its weight weakened the bell tower, the inhabitants of the village who had always known it, opposed it. It has sometimes been mutilated, and road or telephone installation work has weakened its roots. But it withstood the shock and still sits above the road today. It was classified in 2018 among the remarkable trees of France.