La Guerche

La Guerche belongs to the southern part of Touraine, in the Loches Sud Touraine area, on the bank of the river Creuse. This is not the Loire Valley of the great royal châteaux, such as Chambord or Chenonceau, but a quieter, more rural corner of the same department. Hedged fields, woods, small villages and slow rivers fill the landscape. The Creuse flows north towards its junction with the Vienne, and the border with the Vienne department is close, so the countryside has a mix of Touraine and Poitou in its stone, its roofs and its place names.

The village is small, with a population of around 170, and its centre is made of a few streets, a church and houses in the pale local limestone, tuffeau. There are no large hotels or crowded squares. That is an advantage for those who want to see a real rural village and explore at their own pace, though it also means that you should plan meals and accommodation in advance in nearby Descartes or Loches.

The castle is the reason to come. The Château de La Guerche was built around the 1450s, under King Charles VII, for Antoinette de Maignelais and her husband, André de Villequier. Antoinette was a cousin of Agnès Sorel, the king's acknowledged mistress, who died in 1450. After Agnès's death Antoinette herself came to occupy a position of influence at court, and the château reflects the wealth of a family close to the throne. In its design, La Guerche belongs to the transition between the fortress and the residence. It has the round towers and strong walls of the medieval castle, but also larger windows and more comfortable rooms than a purely defensive building would have. The château was restored in the seventeenth century, altered afterwards and has been protected as a monument historique since 1944.

Because La Guerche is a private or locally managed property and visiting arrangements can change, it is wise to check before travelling whether the interior can be seen on the day you plan to come. Even from the road and the village, the building makes a strong impression, and photographers will find good angles in the morning light.

Descartes, a short drive away, is named after the philosopher René Descartes, who was born there in 1596; the town was called La Haye until 1802, when it took the name of its most famous son. The house where he was born can be visited. Loches, farther north-east, is a much larger target for a day trip: its royal city on a rock, with the keep, the collegiate church of Saint-Ours and the tomb of Agnès Sorel, makes a fine contrast and connects directly with the story of the people who built La Guerche. Chinon and Tours are within a longer drive, and the Loire châteaux are an easy extension of any trip.

The area suits slow travel. Roads are quiet and mostly flat, and cyclists will find plenty of small lanes along the Creuse and the neighbouring valleys. Walkers can use local footpaths between villages, and fishing and canoeing are common along the river in the warm months. Markets in nearby towns offer goat cheese, honey and local wines from the Touraine appellations, and these make a good basis for a picnic.

The best time for a visit is from May to September, when days are long and attractions are open, though early autumn is also pleasant and quieter. In winter the countryside can be grey and damp, and some places close. If you have a car, La Guerche fits well into a loop that includes Descartes, Loches and the villages of the Creuse valley, and it offers an unhurried look at the rural side of the Loire region.