Auberge Savoie Villars - Things to do in South Touraine

Grand‑Pressigny is the centre of a region rich in modest architectural treasures with dozens of castles, fortified farmhouses, Romanesque churches and caves used as dwellings or workplaces.

Here are a few links that will open in a new window (some of these are in French only)

Grand‑Pressigny
	An English builder was contemplating the roofs of Grand‑Pressigny that cascaded down to the church against a backdrop of greenery. The boy at his side remarked "They're all bent and twisted, they need rebuilding". The man replied "No, it takes centuries to create a view like that!"
The Château
	The chateau has dominated the town since 1213 when it was built by Guillaume de Pressigny. It is a bit tumble‑down now but you can see the remains of its massive walls and later more refined additions. The interior is currently closed for building work.
Patrimoine floral
	Grand‑Pressigny and the surrounding countryside are characterised by oak forest, chalk downs and water meadows providing habitats for a multitude of species including more than fifty types of terrestrial orchid.
Walking and riding
	No grandiose mountains, no vertiginous ravines, no waterfalls, almost no traffic! Here you can walk, cycle or ride for miles without putting your risking life and limb - there is nothing but peace and quiet, a bit of sun and a bit of shade.

Château de la Guerche
	On the ancient frontier between Touraine and Poitou, scene of the Hundred Year's War and the Wars of Religion, near ford serving an old fortified town, the massif Château de la Guerche broods over the river Creuse.
Angles sur l'Anglin
	Angles sur l'Anglin is classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. The impressive ruins of the chateau rise up from the top of a cliff overhanging the river and the mediaeval houses lining the streets of the town evoke its rich historical past.
Azay‑le‑Ferron
	The chateau of Azay‑le‑Ferron, which is still fully furnished, is on the edge of the Brenne. The main building is formed of four distinct sections: the Frotier tower (15th C), the Humières wing (17th C), the François 1er building (16th C) and the Breteuil building (18th C).
Brenne Regional Nature Park
	Brenne Regional Nature Park, also known as the thousand lakes, covers an area of outstanding natural heritage with a wide variety of sensitive habitats.
Parc de la Haute Touche
	The Haute Touche animal park provides habitats for the animals that are as close as possible to their natural environments. Visitors can drive around, cycle around or walk around a park with more that 1000 animals of 100 different species.

Prehistory
	The Grand‑Pressigny region has an abundance of very high quality flint near the surface. There are a large number of prehistoric sites dating from the Palaeolithic through to late Neolithic. PVCT organises a wide variety of archaeology courses.
Les Ateliers de Vérone
	Lime, with its antiseptic and anti-mould properties, has been used for interior and exterior decoration since ancient times. Les Ateliers de Vérone runs 2-3 day courses in decorative applications using lime (tadelakt, limewash and painting).

In Grand Pressigny you will find also find a heated swimming pool, tennis courts, riding stables.

There are numerous attractions within an hour's driving on quiet country roads (don't forget to look at the little villages, churches and castles en route)

the great châteaux of the Loire (Azay le Rideau, Amboise, Chaumont, Chenonceau, Villandry etc.)
historic towns (Richelieu, Chinon, Loches etc.) and prehistoric settlements (the caves at Saint‑Rémy‑sur‑Creuse)
monasteries ( Fontgombault - Gregorian masses, Fontevraud Abbey - a little further)
the Beauval zoological gardens
the Futuroscope (3D, 360° and dynamic cinamas)
the Descartes museum, the tool museum at la Celle Guenand and the amazing Musée Maurice Dufresne
the Touraine vineyards ( Chinon, Noble‑Joué, Vouvray‑Montlouis, Amboise, Saint‑Georges etc.) and the Haute Poitou vinyards.

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Things to do, sights to see

Photos of the hôtel