Loire Valley

The peaceful little village of Chédigny which sits 12km north
of the town of Loches
in the heart of Touraine is an ideal spot to appreciate the lifestyle this
beautiful region offers.

Walking its little streets at any time of
year is a real pleasure as you admire the well maintained houses and gardens
of the village...

...tranquillity itself.



There is a fine 13th century church to explore -
Saint Pierre-es-Lien...

...and a very good restaurant 'Les Clos aux Roses' in
the village.

We have enjoyed a lovely meal here and would recommend it,
both inside and on the terrace under the wisteria are great places to dine
...www.leclosauxroses.fr/

https://www.chedigny.fr/
This sleepy little village does however have
its moments....it comes alive at the end of May with its annual Rose
Festival. The idea is the brain child of the mayor Pierre Loualt who wanted
to contribute something to the Loire Valley's reputation as the 'Garden of
France'. In 1998 the village began planting 700 rose bushes, they have since
multiplied and now bloom in profusion. This has given rise to a 2-day
'Festival des Roses', which this year (the 10th) takes place on 30th and
31st May. You can smell
the roses first hand and you will have an opportunity to purchase some
examples as well.




The success of their endeavours has lead them to being the
first village listed
in the
Remarkable Gardens of the
Centre
region
since October 2012 in the company of the likes of the
gardens at Chenonceau
and Villandry.
While their display of roses may not be as jaw-dropping as
the great chateaux
gardens there is no doubting its charms.




There is a flower market to stroll through plus the festival
has also become a time for artists who have settled in the village to open
up their studios and for artisans to display their wares.

For 15 years up until 2012
the village was also the venue for a popular blues festival but they decided
to change the format and offer the ‘Festival of the mouth and ears’ - an
opportunity to discover the rural gastronomy of Touraine plus shows
incorporating a combination of music and theatre presented by
professionals and amateurs alike.
Set over two days at the
beginning of August - 2014's programme is still to be announced.
More: www.festivaldechedigny.fr
External links:
Website of commune:
www.chedigny.fr/
Blogroll:
*Some of the
photographs courtesy of Jean Lacy @averygrandpressigny.blogspot.fr
Official blog:
rosesdechedigny.canalblog.