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The municipalities of Candes-Saint-Martin, Crissay-sur-Manse and Montrésor are among the 174 most beautiful villages in France. These three gems are located in Indre-et-Loire and in all objectivity, they are the most splendid! I will guide you to their discovery.

When we go on vacation, we always want to find the wonder that will make the stay the most unique. Head to Touraine, you will not be disappointed!

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Leaving Orléans, it was after a 2.5 hour drive that I arrived at my destination. The village is revealed as we cross the bridge which spans the Vienne. The collegiate church, the white tufa stone houses, the Loire and the barges make this view a postcard cliché. I realize that I had never seen this kind of landscape before. The car is parked, it's time to go exploring.

I found a PDF plan on the internet with several circuits: equestrian circuit, heritage circuit, Loire by bike and GR3. I decide to do part of each circuit.

I learn that Candes-Saint-Martin is an old fishing and inland shipping port. Indeed, when bridges did not exist, the Loire was the main trade route for goods. The location is strategic, it is at the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire.

• Saint-Martin, the man in the coat

Before entering the city, a little cultural point… We must admit that the name is not very original, “Saint-Martins” are everywhere! But here I am in the presence of the “real” Martin. The one who cut his coat in two to share it with a disinherited person is none other than the former bishop of Tours. The famous cape kept as an object of veneration gave rise to the word chapel: place where people come to see the cape.

The saint died in 397, in his house in Candes. The collegiate church was erected on his place of death.

• The Saint-Martin collegiate church

I arrive at the foot of the collegiate church, built between the 12th and 13th centuries. A small square surrounds it, with restaurants and shops. Its rough north façade is as reminiscent of a fortified castle as it is of a church. The door appears immense and the details still well preserved.

The building is considered one of the jewels of Angevin Gothic architecture, and was classified as a historic monument in 1840.

• The castle, highlight

We must now gain height and climb to the castle. At the bend of the streets, I pass under several stone doors. They fortified the village, like the one on rue de la Douve.

Arriving at the castle, I notice the Aubigny tower which overlooks a terrace and a French garden. This tower dates from 1490, like the ramparts surrounding Candes-Saint-Martin. Renovated by the owners of the estate, it houses on three levels two round bedrooms and a round living room which can be rented.

You can observe the castle park all around. It extends over more than four hectares and since 2019 has hosted more than 40 monumental works of street art. For those who love nature, many century-old trees and other species are to be seen: yews, cedars, larches… And for history buffs, traces of a Gallo-Roman city and a mysterious arena, unique in Touraine, are to be discovered!

Second stop of the day: the small village of Crissay-sur-Manse, located 45 minutes from Candes-Saint-Martin. In the middle of the countryside, stands a church with a particularly fine point. A parking lot is indicated just before you can enter the village. I stop theret observe the fields around me. Calm is required. I hear birds, wind, running water. The place is peaceful.

The village seems small to me, a map at the entrance shows me a circuit. For an hour, I stroll between flowery streets and tufa houses. Some have retained their mullioned windows and slate roofs with dormer windows. The medieval character emerges very quickly from the place. The streets are paved and a castle can be seen a little further away. Destroyed during the Hundred Years' War, only ruins remain. Visitable on request, the castle is partly built into the rock, and conceals a maze of underground passages.

Returning to the village, several homes are highlighted with explanations: the “timber-framed house”, the “logis de la Poterne” or even the “Hostel des Anglois”.

It was at the start of the Hundred Years' War that the Turpin family built the first defensive seigniorial home. Charles VII was received there in 1432. Once peace was established, the village experienced great growth between 1490 and 1540. The Turpins had something to do with it! Chamberlains of the king, they favored the beautification of the castle and the renovation of the church.

During the Renaissance, houses were built of exposed rubble. Two floors, tiles inclined at 45 degrees, rounded in short I am transported to the full Renaissance: the “house of justice”, the “maison Gaby” and the “maison du grand carroi”.

• The church, historical monument

A small sign indicates to go down to see the church. In the street I take there is a washhouse leaning against the wall of a house. Arrived at the end, here I am facing the church built by Jacques 1er de Crissé in 1527 and restored in 1867. What a surprise to find a black and white checkered floor there. Dedicated to Antoine de la Barre, archbishop of Tours in the first part of the 16th century, the church houses, in the sacristy, the remains of Catherine de Bellay, wife of Jacques Turpin.

• The washhouse, view of the village

As I leave the church I hear children shouting in the direction of the washhouse. A family has settled in the picnic area. Crossing a field I arrive behind the wash house. A small door allows you to enter. Another family sits with their feet in the water.

The numerous sources as well as the difference in altitude of the river allowed the installation of wash houses, but also mills in the Manse valley. The example is perfect in Crissay-sur-Manse.

Coming out, I see the village in its entirety, something I couldn't see from the parking lot. Calm hits me again. I will go back there to recharge my batteries, that's for sure.

The day I came, I did not find the doors of the shops open but I wanted to share what I was able to see through the windows. Crissay honey, gingerbread, goat's milk soap, rillettes and goat pâtés…

Finally, a farm where goat's milk cheeses are made, including the famous Sainte-Maure.

Third (and last) most beautiful village in France visited during my day: Montresor. 30 minutes by car, the GPS tells me that I have arrived. Unlike the previous villages, this one is hidden in a hollow. I didn't see it when I arrived, I had to wait to park and walk around to see the monuments. Mysterious then?

• First, the fortress…

The tourist office provides me with a map with eight places to see. Camera in hand, I set off to discover it. First stop: the fortress. You can't miss it, it's the highest point of the village. Dating from 1005, it was erected at the request of a Count of Anjou, in order to defend against the approaches to Touraine. It was finally recovered in the 15th century by Imbert de Bastarnay, the chamberlain and advisor to four kings of France (definitely… It was good to be a chamberlain at that time).

Next door is the castle, my second stop. Located inside the fortifications, it is the same Imbert who had “a pleasure residence” built for himself. It was bought and restored in the 19th century by Xavier Branicnki, a Polish political refugee exiled in France, and still belongs to his family. The visit immerses me in an impressive collection of art and period furniture.

• Third stop: the collegiate church

If I tell you that Mr. de Bastarnay is at the origin, is that surprising? As you will have understood, once settled in the village, the Imbert family had to have a place of worship but also a place for burials. Thus, the Bastarnay tomb is the capital element of the building. Before the revolution, he was at the center of the choir. It is now at the back of the church that the recumbent figures of the entire family are enthroned on a white marble base.

In addition to the high-quality stained glass windows and the period stalls, there are paintings from Napoleon's uncle.

My fourth point of interest is a walk along the Indrois river. During the walk, several viewpoints of the village are available to me. A route with different explanatory panels on the theme of water and history allows me to understand the country of Montresor. It's quite peaceful, you can see fish but also the reflection of the castle.

Every summer, a free sound light trail beautifies the banks of the Indrois: solar nights.

I also discovered “Les Recyclades Estivales”. On the bridges, the wash house, the well, in the trees or along the path, mysterious flowers, people, animals made from natural or recycled materials come to life.

Once the walk is over I find myself in one of the main streets of the town. Head to the Halle des Cardeux.

After going up the street, I am faced with a large wooden hall. Scouts wait below. Its frame and Mansard roof hosted the wool market. Its name, halle des Cardeux, comes from the fact that the wool was carded, spun and woven.

A door indicates a free exhibition. Curious, I take the stairs and discover an exhibition on gemmail: “art of glass and light”. Very colorful. I like the atmosphere that the framework adds to the stroll.

On the way down, I notice the queue in the bakery opposite. A gentleman explains to me that she makes macarons using an authentic recipe from the Middle Ages. He recommends them to me, supposed to be as soft as possible.

• The washhouse, the legend of Montresor

The map tells me the last three places to visit. The chancellor's home, which is none other than the town hall, and Branicki Street, lined with hollyhocks and charming houses. A qualifying parenthesis allows Montrésor to raise its membership in the network of the Most Beautiful Villages of France.

At the end of the street, I turn towards the wash house. In the distance, I see a giant stone lizard appear on the ground. Funny animal, normally furtive, and here frozen in the ground, it tells a story…

I don't prefer to tell you more, that would spoil the surprise.

For those who wish to discover other circuits here they are:

Happy holidays in our Centre-Val de Loire region!

Article originally published on 08/14/2023