The
Old Walnut Mill Delightful, spacious 2 bedroom
19th Century Loire Valley house for rent in the peaceful village of Barrou
in the department of Indre et Loire,France. The village’s location halfway
between the regional capitals of Tours and Poitiers makes it an ideal base
to explore the Loire Valley and Vienne.
The chateau at Montsoreau's origins
date back to the middle ages where because of its strategic position
at the meeting of the rivers Loire and Vienne and at the crossroads
of the historic regions of Anjou, Poitou and Touraine it became both
a military stronghold and tollhouse.
Later with its 'toe' touching the water --
the river originally filled its moats--it became one of the premier
boating residences on the Loire.
Montsoreau has been owned by the Conseil
Général du Maine et Loire since 1913 but work on its restoration,
which included the digging up parts that had been buried for
centuries, only began in 1994.It now houses a visitor centre which
includes an audio-visual display, entitled 'Les
Imaginaires de Loire'
which takes you on an imaginary journey aboard one of the flat
barges of the Loire river known as gabares. They bring the
river to life, showing men's efforts to control it.
The 15C castle was made famous by Alexandre Dumas’ novel "La
Dame de Montsoreau" and visitors are introduced to the
heroine during the presentation.
The village of Monsoreau itself is both listed as
“Village de charme” (Charming Village) and “Plus beau village de
France" (Most beautiful village in France).
There is a flea market which receives thousands
visitors every 2nd Sunday of the month.
You can explore the world of the troglodyte within the village
as you tour the underground world of past occupants such as
farmers, fishermen and wine growers. During the 20th century, the
mushroom growers moved into the immense galleries dug during 15th
century.
Tip: Allow 11/2 hours for the complete audio visual
display.
MontsoreauOpening hours :
1st March - 31st March :
Saturday and Sunday from 2.00 PM to 6.00 PM
