The Region & Activities
The Château d’Alogny lies in beautiful, tranquil countryside
only an hour’s drive from the magnificent châteaux of the Loire Valley. Many
attractions are to be found within easy distance. The healing waters of La
Roche Posay, a 3 km bike ride from Alogny, have drawn visitors since
Roman times. In addition to specific therapies, guests can indulge
themselves in a variety of massage and other luxurious spa
treatments.
The old town has narrow, winding streets. The ancient
donjon has recently been restored
and may soon become a museum. La Roche Posay also possesses a famous
casino, a golf course, an equestrian centre and a racetrack, in addition
to all regular shops and facilities. Bike rentals are available at "Croq'velo" in La
Roche Posay (Maison de Culture, Ave. Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny)
and at the tourist office by the Marie
in La Grand Pressigny (10Km).
Walkers, cyclists, horse-back riders and naturalists enjoy the
network of ancient trails and footpaths that weave through the surrounding
woods and fields, while the local rivers provide delight to swimmers, kyakers
and canoists. Near Lathus-St-Remy on the Gartempe is the Porte d’Enfer
olympic-class white-water canoe course.
Rock climbing is popular on the limestone cliffs bordering the Gartempe near
Mérigny. For naturalists, and especially bird-watchers, the huge Brenne Regional Park,
with its profusion of wildlife, is a special attraction, as is the famous
Marais Poitevin or “Green Venice”. Located near the attractive
Atlantic seaport of La Rochelle, one can rent a boat to explore this network
of ancient canals that permeate the marshes.
The villages, hamlets and farms that dot the landscape are filled
with unexpected architectural delights, and throughout the summer months there
are frequent concerts, recitals, and art exhibitions, together
with well-publicized village fêtes and firework displays. The fireworks
at Angles-sur-l'Anglin around the first Sunday in August are exceptionally
impressive.
Among the many historic and architectural gems of the region are the
great châteaux of the Loire Valley, about an hour’s drive to the north. These
include Chenonceau, Chambord, Azay-le-Rideau and Amboise. Also at Amboise is
the Manoir du Clos-Lucé, the final home of Leonardo de Vinci, which houses a
remarkable collection of mechanical models based on his drawings, a gift
from IBM. For more information on the Loire Valley châteaux click here .
Writers in this peaceful, undiscovered heart of France are touched
by its timeless magic, while artists discover at first hand the inspiration of
the French impressionist painters, through the subtle interplay of
ever-changing light and shadow as the seasons progress.
The caves that permeate the limestone cliffs along our river
valleys show evidence of human occupation dating back more than 30,000 years.
Most striking are the bas-relief figures discovered in the Abri du
Roc-aux-Sorciers near Angles-sur-l’Anglin. Dating from the end of the last Ice
Age these are comparable in importance to the cave paintings at
Lascaux. They are not accessible to the public, but as at Lascaux, a
striking facsimile museum has been constructed nearby in the village.
Although no cave art has been found at Alogny, we do have our
own prehistoric monument. Standing on the lawn in front of the château, a
giant prehistoric megalith or menhir provides mute testimony that this has
been revered as a sacred place since time immemorial. The menhir’s true
significance remains shrouded in mystery, and we can only guess at what
magical scenes and ceremonies it may have witnessed over the course of its
long history. Does it mark the final resting place of a magnificent warrior
and powerful leader, long since forgotten? Or does it perhaps commemorate some
great battle now lost in the mists of time? We can only speculate, so allow
your imagination free rein as you silently contemplate our mysterious menhir
under the light of a full moon and conjure up ancient visions from the distant
dreamtime.
The nearby château at Le Grand Pressigny
houses a fine new museum of prehistory. The abbey of St. Savin (and nearby
village church at Antigny) possess some of the finest mediaeval frescos in
Europe. Antigny also boasts a fine Lanterne des Morts
to guide
wandering souls back to their graves.
In the great Merovingian necropolis at Civaux, hundreds
of giant stone coffins litter the ground. These date from the famous battle
in which Clovis, King of the Franks, defeated the Visigoth warriors of Alaric
in 508 AD.
The new, well-designed museum at Civaux
provides an excellent introduction to the pre- and early history of
the region. Included are unusual children's toys and exceptional early representations of
the human figure, together with bears, mammoths, bison and other
animals.
In the cliffs above St. Remy, a short distance downstream from Alogny near
Descartes, the extensive troglodyte village includes many dwellings that are
still occupied.
Angles-sur-l’Anglin, with its striking ruined cliff-top
château, is widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful villages in
France, and attracts many artists. Monks at the ancient Benedictine
abbey of Fontgombault are renowned for their daily services, which are
accompanied by powerful Gregorian chant.
Less than an hour away from Alogny, near the historic city of
Poitiers, is Futuroscope, the extremely popular theme park devoted to the
moving image, in which the latest film and computer-graphics technologies may
be experienced. Futuroscope is part of the engineering department of the
university of Poitiers. For full information click here.
For the gourmet and sybarite,
Château d’Alogny provides an idyllic base from which to explore. A
focus of gastronomic excellence, there are several restaurants of exceptional
quality (and modest price) within easy distance. Unquestionably the best restaurant in
the area is Restaurant Christophe Cadieu just off the square
at Saint Savin. Chez Gautier in Chatellerault (great for artisan's lunch) and Leigné-les-Bois
(only open on weekends), regularly attracts visitors who come to dine from Paris,
as does La Promenade (Jacky Dallais). There are several outstanding village
inns in the neighborhood that serve excellent 'family style' meals.
Local wines abound. The nearby Château de Ris in Bossay-sur-Claise, for
example, produces wines (notably whites) of outstanding quality
and value.
Weekly markets in nearby towns offer an endless profusion of
tempting delicacies, including local wines, cheeses and pâtés, together with a
wealth of fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood. The region is particularly
renowned for its profusion of goat cheeses.
The most important local markets are in La Roche Posay
(Tuesday), Chatellerault (Thursday), Saint Savin (Friday), Chauvigny
(Saturday) and Le Blanc (Saturday).
Information about spa treatments and local events in the region can
be found at the the Tourist Office in the town square at La Roche Posay.
Find out more about Attractions,
Distractions, Activities and Entertainments during
2011