La Roche d’Enchaille is set in quiet countryside in the south of the Loire valley (see a map of our location).

Local towns & villages

The nearest village is Cussay, which has a first-class bar/restaurant and a boulangerie. There is an excellent tennis court for hire – just ask at the Mairie – plus a superb children’s play area and football pitch. There are many fetes and gatherings of all sorts in Cussay and local villages during the summer, most involving the best food and wine from the region.

Five minutes drive away is the bustling market town of Ligueil which has bars, restaurants and shops. On Mondays a market is held here where local producers sell their goods.

Just a bit further afield, the town of Descartes (once home to the philosopher René Descartes) has a large Sunday market. This is extremely well visited and that’s just by the locals! The market has local wine, cheese, fruit and vegetable and craft stalls. You can even buy fresh hot paella or roast chicken for an al fresco lunch on the terrace.

Descartes also has an outdoor “centre des loisirs”, which offers tennis, canoeing, crazy golf, fishing and a heated outdoor 25m swimming pool complete with children’s pool, children’s play area, flumes and café. There are supermarkets at Descartes and Ligueil.

Loches is an extremely pretty town, with a medieval walled chateau and dungeon. There are busy markets on Saturday and Wednesday and several evening markets in August. There are also shows in the summer set in the grounds of the dungeons.

Tours, the Touraine capital city, is full of history and art and the old town boasts cobbled streets and charming medieval buildings. For those of you who like to shop, the new part of the city has plenty of choice.

Day trips to Paris are possible, since the capital is 55 minutes from Tours on the high-speed TGV train.

Eating out

There is a large choice of restaurants in the area – ranging from the inexpensive €11 for a four-course lunch with wine, to the Michelin-starred Le Promenade at Petit Pressigny, 20 minutes away.

The nearest village, Cussay, has an excellent bar/restaurant, L’Auberge du Pont Neuf, with a “menu du terroir” of local food. The photo right shows our friend William Gellot, the chef, outside the restaurant.

The Touraine area specialises in goats’ cheese, rillettes, and fish cooked in white wine. Wine is grown throughout the Loire valley, from red Chinon to sparkling white Vouvray.

Things to do

• Châteaux: Of course, this is an excellent area for châteaux. There are several in the immediate area as well as the more famous including Chinon, Loches, Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceau, Villandry, Langeais, Blois, Chambord, Rigny Ussé (the inspiration for “Sleeping Beauty”), Valencay and Montresor. Some châteaux also perform son-et-lumiere shows in the evenings during the holiday season.
• Golf: There are 9- and 18-hole golf courses at La Roche Posay which are challenging for both novice and experienced golfers, and an 18-hole course at Vermueil-sur-Indre.
• Futuroscope: An excellent day out for all the family, about 50 minutes away, Futuroscope gives you the magic of 3D, virtual reality simulator rides and circular cinemas together, with a glimpse into the future of communications technology.
• Vineyards: Many vineyards are available to visit in this region of France, giving you the opportunity to taste and buy a wide selection of locally produced wines. Can you go home without visiting at least one?
• Horse riding: Riding is available at several stables in the area, and there are two stud farms in Cussay.
• Country walks: The Loire region has many ancient rights of way where you are free to roam, plus numerous signed woodland trails and designated historical walks.
• Other suggestions: La Haute-Touche (the largest zoological park in France), Zooparc Beauval (an excellent family day out), the steam train from Richelieu to Chinon, the donkey park at Parc Le Fou de L’Ane, Parc Mini-Châteaux, Les Grottes Petrifiantes, the Aquarium de Touraine (including piranhas, sharks and crocodiles) and Les Aigles du Donjon (an 11th-century castle where you can watch displays of birds of prey).