De Lavardin à Apremont-sur-Allier : au fil de la Loire – Les villages de nos régions – MG
Discovering France
means wandering its cobbled streets, climbing to the top of its most beautiful towers,
tasting its specialties, climbing its trails or sailing on its rivers. It also means meeting its inhabitants,
those who, every day, maintain and strive
to bring our heritage to life. Discovering our country
means immersing yourself in the villages of our regions. This stage takes us to the
Centre-Val de Loire region. A change of name,
but no merger for the one that was omitted before the Center. It is made up of six departments. Its capital is Orleans. A region rich in heritage,
once appreciated by the kings of France, the Centre-Val de Loire is a region that
combines wonder, history and terroir. As we explore these
characterful villages, we will make several stops along the way to admire the region’s most remarkable monuments. From Lavardin, a bucolic village with
surprising troglodyte dwellings, we will make a detour to Azay-le-Ridot. Its castle on the water is the most
intimate of the Loire Valley castles. Then we will stop to visit the
Candes-Saint-Martin Abbey, which is also worth the detour. Before going to discover a new
village which bears its name well: Montrésor. Then we are in a medieval setting,
in Saint-Benoît-du-Sault. To the town of Apremont-sur-Alier,
famous for its flower park. Not forgetting the astonishing Briard canal bridge
, which spans the Loire. A rich and varied program to learn
more about the Centre-Val de Loire region. Let’s start this walk in a
charming medieval village. His name: Lavardin. We are 40 kilometers from Blois,
in Loiret-Chères. A village nestled at the foot
of the ruins of its castle. According to Hubert, the former mayor of Lavardin,
you have to start by gaining some height to better contemplate it. So, head to the dungeon. One of my favorite views
is this view of the Loir Valley. And the Loir river gives us
a very pleasant valley to live in. It is an ancient land of vineyards
where people liked to meet and get together. And even if the vineyards no longer exist,
the people of Lavardin still enjoy getting together. Hello gentlemen, how are you feeling? It’s going very well. Often on the magnificent Gothic bridge,
the oldest in Loir-et-Chers, for a fishing trip that follows
a very precise code. 20 minutes before sunrise, we are on duty. Then, around 8:30, snack. And we go back to fishing until noon. And then we start the snack again. And then, well,
the day is well underway. We have
extraordinary adventures in Lavardin. As you will have understood, in Lavardin,
we take the time to live. Another place to relax is
the Poet’s Walk. Hi.
How are you, my stick? Are you well, Mr. Ronsard? Named in homage to Ronsard,
born in a neighboring town. In the village, there was not the
Gothic house, the Florentissard house and the Saint-Jeunesse church,
with its Romanesque paintings. A walk in Avardin also necessarily takes you
along the Chemin de la Rote au Bic, rote meaning path. This is where we discover
the village’s special feature: the troglodyte dwellings. It was while digging the rock to cut
the stones for the castle that most of them were born. After the stone extraction,
it was the poor or seasonal workers who settled in the troglodytes. The first thing they
made was a home. So, unlike Nuit des Reçus,
we have electricity, we have water, we even have the Internet. Because people think we live
in animal skins and have nothing. So, it’s still very comfortable. There are 446 cellars in Lavardin,
for 216 inhabitants. So, notice to fans. During your visit, stop
at Monique’s Trogglo restaurant. So, ladies and gentlemen,
you are going to taste the leg of lamb. To taste a typical specialty of this
type of dwelling, the leg of lamb on string. I pierce the bone and
then put the string through the hole in the leg of lamb. And we hang it. So. And every time I pass
by the restaurant, I turn around. There you go, like that.
This is medieval cooking. We all do this in our cellars. It’s really cellar cooking. After lunch,
try your hand at chouine, the local card game,
the world championship of which, yes, yes, nothing less, takes place
every year at the d’un. And finally, before continuing your
journey, take one last stroll in this charming village. In
addition to the towns of character that dot the region, the center of the country is above
all famous for its Loire Valley castles. So, on our way,
let’s stop and visit at least one of them, the most discreet
and harmonious of all. Asé le rideau, a small castle
on the water located 25 km from Tours. Built on an island,
it bathes in the middle of the Indre. This masterpiece of the
French Renaissance, built during the reign of François I,
is a concentration of elegance that seduced Christèle, the administrator of the place,
who knows from experience that she is not the only one. It’s a very small castle. That’s also why
people say: This is my favorite. I think most visitors
say to themselves: I live very, very easily in Azay-le-Rideau. A castle a little different from the others,
in fact, since it is the first to break with the austere style
of our French fortresses. The main building, 16th century,
is really very innovative in terms of taste, very fashionable,
since it echoes this Italian taste. It is said that it was following a stay
in prison in Italy that François I became passionate
about the Italian Renaissance and that he then gave orders to
build this castle of Azay-le-Rideau. The curtain, starting with this
grand staircase, open to the outside, and its sculpted coffered ceilings. Christelle and Augustin, guides at the castle, go to the apartments. On the walls, we discover layers
of woven rims, a material highly prized in the 16th century. Moreover, we use a word that
comes to us from the Middle Ages, which is the word joncher, which comes from jon. And we used to cover the walls and floors with jon mats
to protect ourselves from the cold . A comfort that was surely much appreciated
by the castle’s guests, starting with Louis XIII,
who stopped here for a few days. We were only 18. It was June 27, 1619. Two nights, three days. That’s enough to keep us
talking about it today. And among the prestigious guests,
Azay-le-Ridot also received an illustrious 19th century writer, Balzac. From the top of a ridge,
I see for the first time the castle of Azay, a faceted diamond,
set by the Indre, mounted on stilts, caps of flowers. A love at first sight shared by the
Biencourt family, Picardy nobles who would buy the castle and continue
to embellish it for four generations, as evidenced by the luxurious collection
of tableware that you can admire. As for how to fill
the plates, the Biencourts cultivated a garden hidden from view. A place that is being revived today thanks
to Frédéric, the castle gardener. He will be happy to
tell you about these harvests. We try to pass on and then
reproduce all these old vegetables. So , there we have the melon,
we have the different beans, we have zucchini, uber lettuce. I find it very interesting,
it’s very meaningful, finding our roots in the end, because it was
our ancestors who cultivated them. And then, they weren’t any
more stupid than anything else. And if all of Frédéric’s beautiful vegetables
have made your mouth water, you can then go and
grab a bite to eat at the restaurant located just opposite the castle. In summer, its terrace is very pleasant. And in this department of Indre-et-Loire, contrary to what one might think,
there are not only castles to visit. There is also, not far from here,
the collegiate church of Saint-Martin. It is well worth a detour
on our itinerary. Allow 30 minutes from Azay-le-Ridot
to reach the village of Candes-Saint-Martin. Once there, enjoy this city
nestled at the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers. Go and admire the collegiate church,
this majestic building listed as a historic monument which is truly worth the detour. During your visit, don’t forget
to go to the left of the choir. A narrow passage will allow you
to access this very special chapel. It designates the place of death of Saint
Martin, Bishop of Tours, one of the greatest evangelists in Europe. Moreover, Candes,
like more than 300 towns in France, will choose its name as a sign
of recognition. On the stained glass windows, you can glimpse
certain aspects of his story, including a miracle that he supposedly
performed after his death. Legend has it that as his
remains passed along the Loire, all the trees began to blossom. This was later called
the summer of Saint Martin. Not far from there, there is a place
that exudes sweetness all year round. My name is Chloe.
My name is Manu. And our village is my treasure.
Follow us. Let’s go. Let’s follow our charming little hostesses
as they discover their beautiful village in Indre-et-Loire. Montrésor is located 50 km from Blois. A place full of charm and poetry
that Manu, 8 years old, and Chloé, 11 years old, his older sister, know like the back of their hand. First stop, the castle,
where a large part of the village’s history was written. Good morning. Welcome to Montrésor Castle. Don’t be surprised if
you hear Polish spoken in Montresor. Since the mid-19th century,
the castle has belonged to the descendant of Count Xavier Branicki, an
influential businessman who arrived from Poland. Inside the building, this great
art lover had some gems. Constantin, the caretaker of the place,
will be happy to show them to you and even challenge you with a few challenges. We are here in the small living room. So here we are in front of a painting
that was painted by Paul Veronese. And the peculiarity of this painting
is that Veronese used to sign it with his self-portrait. Look at it carefully. Now look at the table
and try to find it. Look at. You know ?
Show it to me. Well done, you won.
It’s him. First mystery solved for Chloe,
but it’s not over yet. Above this magnificent
mahogany staircase, the upper floor holds further enigmas. What’s in there? In this urn
is the heart of François de Basternais, the lord who lived
there at the beginning of the 16th century. At that time,
when a lord died, what represented strength
and honor was kept, that is to say, the heart. I’m going to show you a heart that
‘s four centuries old. Yeah, it’s amazing. It’s incredible. Well, it’s true, there isn’t
much left to see. Fortunately, the rest of the visit will
have a very nice surprise in store for you. Here we are in the large living room. And in this large living room,
we find a very beautiful piano in the corner. And it was on this piano
that Chopin came to give lessons to Xavier’s sister, Catherine. Besides, it’s written here. To Miss Catherine Branitzka, three
waltzes for piano by Frédéric Chopin. To
discover this piano and all the gems of this castle, consider booking your
guided tour, then stroll through the village,
or more precisely below the town, along the banks of the Indroit River. The bridge here is
called the Gardeners’ Bridge, because it was the count who had it
built so that the gardeners could go from one bank to the other. Take advantage of these pleasant shores
to relax with your family. Before leaving,
stop at the collegiate church. It contains a rare piece. I have something to show you.
Look. Do you know what it is? Uh, no. This is the Pope’s hat,
what we call his skullcap. We find it in the
photo below. Pope John Paul II
is a Polish pope, and he gave it to someone who gave it to the parish. It’s a great gift, eh, that we received. It is one of the treasures of my treasury. This village definitely has
many surprises in store. The next one is not far behind either. Let’s head south of Montrésor to discover
the charming town of Saint-Benoît-du-Sault. We are 50 km
from Châteauroux, in Imbre. A village founded in the 10th century
by Benedictine monks. And this is where Jean-Michel, photographer,
set up his business about fifteen years ago. In Saint-Benoît-du-Sault,
we have a treasure of heritage, we have a historical and cultural treasure. It is a city where stones speak. And when you walk through the streets with
the light that we have in all seasons, you always have
different images to make. And so, it’s really a
privileged territory for a photographer. And to take beautiful photos
of Saint-Benoît, the village offers hikes around the town. Good Great. Hello Pierre. Hi Jean-Michel.
Can I join you? Welcome to us.
Well yes, we are going around Saint-Benoît. This walk is still as beautiful as ever. Saint-Benoît, we never get tired of it. When we hike around
Benoît, he discovers things differently. We take the time, we look. If you only visit
the interior of the village, you will miss a lot. What is fabulous is that when you
walk around the village, you see this historic building which is 1000 years old,
which is perched on a rock nestled in the middle of the grove. And that is truly an
extraordinary opportunity to live here. 1000 years of history, obviously,
leaves its mark. Head to the Argentier’s house,
which dates from the 15th century. It was here, in the past, that money was minted
for the local lord. The special feature
is obviously this studded door. And the purpose of the nail
is really to protect oneself from the evil eye, from the evil one, from the devil. Here, we are really in the sector,
let’s say, political, military, those who fight for the rest
of society, as evidenced by the
patrol path here, where armed men could circulate and who
circulated along the rampart. A covered patrol path, then. A covered patrol path. A medieval setting
that inspires many. Engine. Action. François, a director from the region, comes here every year with young people from the media,
most of whom are unfamiliar with the village. The first reaction,
when they arrive here, they look at the place where we are staying,
they look at that, they have the impression of being on an island
and of having incredible luck. They are really happy to be here. Saint-Benoît-du-Sault definitely inspires artists. When you are in the town, keep an eye on the Church’s program. Very beautiful lyrical concerts are often given there
. Could Saint Benoît-du-Sault be one of the most beautiful villages in France? Yes, truly, I assure you. Abbey, but we would pray,
it is indeed Saint Benedict-du-Sault. Let’s now head to the east of the region
to explore Apremont-sur-Alier, a medieval village on the waterfront. Here we are 50 kilometers
from Bourges, in Cher. Dominated by its 15th century castle,
this town is home to a unique floral park. It is the lung of Apremont. The Ellevire family has been living here
for three centuries and they wouldn’t leave this village of 80 inhabitants
for anything in the world. What I like here, you see,
is first of all that there is only one street, which is the main street, and it is
the uniformity of the houses, their unity. In the Middle Ages, these typical
Berry houses housed the sailors, the boat drivers. They transported the
cut stone, extracted from the numerous quarries around Apremont, to the Allier. This is the Maison des Mariniers,
which is the oldest house in Apremont. Opposite this house
is the old village square. I think she’s our oldest,
or am I wrong? Well, yes. And it’s the village’s memory,
because it’s been there since… 1949. Since she’s been here,
Madame Orfèvre has witnessed the slightest changes in Apremont. I used to have a meadow
with a donkey in it. And then it was transformed
into this marvel. This marvel is here: the Floral Park. A bucolic landscape of 5 hectares
for a most pleasant stroll. Hello Tony. Hello Manon Saëlle.
How are you ? Everything is fine. Excuse me, I just wanted to
ask you something. I lost the name of this plant. Rueil-Malmaison sage,
the Russian board. This is the third time we’ve come back. We are women from Apremont. It is the emblem of Apremont. This is the Chinese bridge. These are small, lightweight constructions
that made people who didn’t travel at the time dream. And for a complete change of scenery,
don’t hesitate to go canoeing on the banks of the Allier. On these banks, don’t be surprised to
come across gatherings like this. In Promon, everyone knows each other, yes.
What kind of visit do you want? It’s a big family, actually. And it’s peaceful, it’s quiet,
it’s beautiful, it’s really beautiful. We are always amazed.
We are privileged. Privileged people who love to share
their love of their village with visitors. Before finishing this trip, how can you
not take a trip to the banks of the Loire? And to get off the beaten track,
here is a completely original monument to visit: the Briard Canal bridge. It is located 80 kilometers
from Orléans, in Loiret. Above, it is not cars
that are circulating, but boats. At 600 metres long,
the Briard Bridge is the longest metal bridge in Europe. Claudine and Jacky are
book lovers, so much so that they decided, a few years ago,
to drop anchor in Briard. The bridge was built in four years
and it took 2,000 workers four years. The workers worked by hand,
of course, because it took almost 5
million rivets to assemble the metal part of the bridge. Gustave Eiffel’s workshops were then
called upon for part of the construction. However, we now know that they
were very busy, since at the same time,
the Eiffel Tower was also about to see the light of day. What was also curious
was that workers who were right-handed had a higher salary
than those who were left-handed. Now,
that would be discrimination, but at that time, it was very
frowned upon to work with your left hand. To understand the origins of
such a large-scale project, visit the
Monte-l’Ou lock south of Briard. Here we are on the
left bank of the Loire. We had to go to the right bank, but
of course, we had to cross the Loire. Crossing the Loire when it was
flooding was extremely dangerous. Every year, we could
say at least ten deaths. In summer, it was less dangerous, but there
was not enough water in the Loire. Finding a solution to cross the Loire
then becomes a commercial necessity. The river is the obligatory passage for
transporting goods to Paris. On September 16, 1896, the bridge
was finally opened to navigation. And since then, it has spanned the beautiful landscapes
of the Loire to the great delight of visitors. I’ve seen a lot of boats. But the only one who held out
was sailing peacefully on the Briard Canal. It is with joy and good humor
that we close this stage in the Centre-Val de Loire region. A rich stage. In addition to boasting a number of beautiful
villages, this region is also home to a number of interesting monuments. So, don’t be afraid of boredom. The Centre-Val de Loire region will delight all
lovers of French history and authentic villages.
Cap sur le Centre-Val de Loire, terre de châteaux, de villages de caractère et de rivières tranquilles.
Pour découvrir les merveilles des plus belles régions de France, c’est ici – Abonnez-vous 👉 http://bit.ly/3zjR2Vj 🙏
À Lavardin, ruines seigneuriales, pont gothique et habitats troglodytiques dessinent un décor rare, où l’on pêche, flâne et rejoue la « chouine », jeu de cartes local. Azay-le-Rideau révèle l’élégance Renaissance, ses décors et ses jardins nourriciers. Candes-Saint-Martin, au confluent de la Loire et de la Vienne, déploie sa collégiale et les récits de Saint Martin. À Montrésor, château intimiste, souvenirs de Chopin et promenade au bord de l’Indrois ; plus au sud, Saint-Benoît-du-Sault, cité bénédictine perchée, aligne venelles, maisons anciennes et chemin de ronde. Apremont-sur-Allier charme par son parc floral, son unique rue et ses maisons de mariniers. Final d’ingénierie et de paysage au pont-canal de Briare, ruban métallique sur la Loire. Entre gastronomie, savoir-faire et mémoire des pierres, un voyage ligérien qui se savoure autant qu’il se visite.
Réalisé par Élodie BOUTIT.
© MORGANE PRODUCTION