Centre-Val de Loire is a region in central France made up of the
Cher, Eure-et-Loir, Indre-et-Loire, Loir-et-Cher, Indre and Loiret
departments. It has an area of 39,151 km² and 2,574,863 inhabitants (as
of January 1, 2020). The capital of the region is Orléans.
Until
January 16, 2015, the region was just called Centre.
Orléans
Amboise
Blois
Bourges
Chartres
Chinon
Châteauroux
Issoudun
Maintenon
Nançay
Nogent le Rotrou
Saint-Benoît-du-Sault
Tours
Vendôme
Château de Chinon
Château
de Chenonceau
Mostly only French is spoken, little English. As an individual traveler you should have at least basic knowledge of the French language.
By plane
There is no major international airport in the region
itself. There is only one regional airport in Tours that is served by
Ryanair, but not from German-speaking countries. However, Paris-Orly
Airport can be used for arrival, from which z. B. 80 km to Chartres, to
Orléans 115 km. Thanks to the direct TGV connection from the airport
train station (several times a day), you can also get from Paris-Charles
de Gaulle Airport to Saint-Pierre-de-Corps near Tours in around 1:45
hours.
By train
There is a TGV stop in Saint-Pierre-de-Corps,
a suburb of Tours. TGVs between Paris-Montparnasse and Poitiers or
Bordeaux stop there approximately every hour, taking about an hour from
Paris. The TGV also stops directly in Tours several times a day.
Vierzon and Châteauroux are on the Paris–Limoges Intercité line
(approximately every hour); from Paris Gare d'Austerlitz it takes about
two hours to reach Châteauroux. Also from Paris-Austerlitz, IC trains
run every two hours to Orléans; they take a little over an hour.
Épernon, Maintenon, Chartres, Courville, Nogent-le-Rotrou can be reached
every hour with a regional express (TER) from Paris-Montparnasse
(Paris-Chartres in just over an hour).
From the German-speaking
area, the vast majority of train connections go via Paris, where the
train station has to be changed (from Gare de l'Est or Nord to Gare
d'Austerlitz or Montparnasse). For example, the fastest connection from
Cologne to Orléans takes 5:20 hours, from Stuttgart 5:40 hours, and from
Frankfurt six hours. If the destination is in the southeast of the
region, you can also drive from Switzerland via Dijon; For example from
Basel to Bourges with one change in 4 hours 40 minutes.
By bus
Eurolines offer bus connections from various cities in Germany with a
change in Paris to Tours or Orléans. From Cologne to Tours, for example,
it takes 10:45 hours and pays €70.
On the street
From the
north via Paris (Boulevard Périphérique), A 11 towards Le Mans and
Bordeaux, A 10 towards Orléans. However, if you are coming from central
and southern Germany or Switzerland, it is advisable to bypass the
greater Paris area and drive from the east on the A 5 or A 6 and A 19 to
Orleáns.
By bicycle
The Loire cycle route leads through the
region (passing Orléans, Blois, Amboise and Tours), which is also part
of the European long-distance cycle route EuroVelo 6 (Atlantic - Black
Sea), on which you can even travel from Germany or Switzerland (Lake
Constance, Basel) can drive here. From the Paris area, you can take the
French cycle path V41 to Chartres, Châteaudun and Tours.
Very good roads connecting all places of interest. Easy to find with the Michelin maps. Also recommended by bike, as there are cycle paths almost everywhere along the Loire.
A special attraction comes from the numerous castle hotels, often in
heavenly, relaxing peace in the midst of large domains and mostly
lovingly, exquisitely and of course antique furnished, whose cold and
drafty halls, halls and rooms of that time offer every imaginable
comfort today. For those who don't have to save, the personal reception
at the foot of the platform, the romantic candlelight dinner and a night
in a four-poster bed is the ideal, stylish start to exploring the great
historic castles, the less well-off will also have brunch or dinner -
that you can reserve in the old walls even if you are not a hotel guest
- in the right mood and for a few hours in the illusion of dining like a
lord of the castle of bygone times.
Castle hotels in Centre-Val
de Loire
Château de Chissay-en-Touraine, 41400 Montrichard. Tel:
+33 (0)1 54323201. A 12th-century former royal castle which since 1986
has housed a luxury hotel fully furnished in 18th-century style.
Surrounded by a ten-hectare park, the château preserves not only an
impressive former armory room, a room with Gothic vaults that was used
as the dining room of the La Table du Roy restaurant, and many very
beautiful old fireplaces. Among the 36 rooms and suites, choose one with
the nicer view of the park, while the others face either the Renaissance
facades of the large courtyard or the heated pool. The ideal
geographical location, the grandiose setting and the pool make the
Château de Chissay one of the most interesting stops in the area.
Château de Pray, 37530 Chargé-Amboise. Tel.: +33 (0)2 47572367. Just off
the Loire between Amboise and Chaumont on the D 751. Like many of the
Loire châteaux, this one arose from a fortification (13th century) that
was converted into a summer residence during the Renaissance became. It
is embedded in a park facing a large terrace in front of the castle,
where breakfast and dinner are served when the weather is nice. There
are only 16 rooms here, all antique-furnished, most relatively spacious,
and often occupied by regular guests who appreciate a family atmosphere
and the option of half-board.
Château de la Menaudière, 41400
Montrichard-Chissay-en-Touraine (144 route d'Amboise). Tel.: +33 (0)2
54320244. La Menaudière, whose origin (15th century) is attributed to
Catherine Briçonnet or Brissonnet, one of the six damsels of Chenonceau,
is located in the clearing of a forest with centuries-old oak trees and
offers 23 rooms including one with a four-poster bed on the ground floor
of the castle tower (№ 23), another, which is identified as the former
bedchamber of the marquis (№ 8). The fireplaces preserved in most of the
rooms add to the refined ambience, as does the bar with its terrace in a
beautiful setting, two small but nicely decorated dining rooms and the
heated pool, a soothing after a long day of sightseeing. There is also a
tennis court and even a heliport, from which you can take to the skies
if necessary to see the châteaux of the Loire from above (information on
helicopter tours is available from the Tourist Office in Blois).
The region is located south of Paris, in the central northern half of France, bordering the regions of Île-de-France and Normandy to the north, Pays de la Loire to the west, Nouvelle-Aquitaine to the southwest and Auvergne-Rhône to the south -Alpes and to the east on Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The capital Orléans is located in the northeast of the region. Other important cities are Tours, Amboise and Blois. The region is traversed by the Loire, which, coming from the south, changes direction at Orléans and continues to flow west through Tours.
The Centre-Val de Loire has a multitude of natural regions of which
the Loire Valley constitutes the structuring axis. Geologically, this
region, mostly plain, covers the southern part of the Paris Basin
(Beauce, Berry, Brenne, Drouais, Gâtinais, Orléanais, Pays-Fort, Perche,
Puisaye, Sancerrois, Sologne, Thimerais, Touraine) and a small part of
north of the Massif Central (Boischaut, Marche). The terrains date from
the Paleozoic (Variscan chain) to the Quaternary, passing through the
Mesozoic and the Cenozoic.
The most recent geological formations
are the Quaternary fluvial alluvia of the Loire and its tributaries
(Beuvron, Cher, Cosson, Indre, Sauldre) as well as other rivers (Anglin,
Arnon, Claise, Creuse, Sauldre, Yèvre) . There are also loess deposits
in the Beauce, synonymous with fertile soils suitable for intensive
grain farming.
The Cenozoic formations present a variety of
sedimentary rocks of marine and continental origin (lacustrine, fluvial,
alterites) mainly occupying the natural regions of Beauce, Sologne,
Brenne and Gâtines.
The Mesozoic formations also include
sedimentary rocks of marine and continental origin whose ages evolve
from south to north, from the oldest rocks of the Triassic (Boischaut,
Marche, Val de Germigny) to the most recent of the Cretaceous (Drouais,
Gâtinais , Pays-Fort, Perche, Touraine) through those of the Jurassic
(Berry, Blancois, Richelais, Sancerrois).
Finally, the Paleozoic
formations are composed of magmatic and metamorphic rocks (Boischaut,
Marche) belonging to the Massif Central and formed during the Variscan
orogeny.
The geodiversity of the Centre-Val de Loire region has
greatly influenced the different landscapes, the latter having been
developed by man over the centuries. For example, the clayey-sandy
subsoil of Sologne has favored the establishment of thousands of
artificial ponds, just like in Brenne. Man has also been able to take
advantage of the mineral resources of the regional subsoil with the
famous tufa stone, the faluns of Touraine, the limestone of Beauce, the
flints of Grand-Pressigny or the "gun flints" of the valley. Cher
(Meusnes, Couffy). Oil is still exploited in the Loiret within
Cretaceous sands at a depth of around 600 m.
Like all French
regions, the Centre-Val de Loire benefits from a continuous inventory of
geological sites of heritage interest, as part of the National Inventory
of Geological Heritage (INPG). Geodiversity coupled with biodiversity
constitute the natural heritage. To date, 127 geological sites of
heritage interest have been listed by the Regional Commission for the
Geological Heritage of Centre-Val de Loire (CRPG). The list of sites can
be consulted on the National Inventory of Natural Heritage (INPN)
website.
The relief that emerges on either side of its bed is made up of
plains and plateaus with different geographical characteristics. The
slightly undulating limestone plateau of Champagne Berry in the
south-east is followed by the Brenne (land of “a thousand ponds”), and
the clay plateaus of Touraine in the south-west.
To the south and
east are cuestas with limestone plateaus and clay depressions on the
edge of the Massif Central (Motte d'Humbligny (Sancerrois hills), 429
m). To the north and in the center extend the plateaus of Beauce,
Sologne and the forest of Orléans. In Sologne, the nature of the soil
has favored the establishment of thousands of artificial ponds, as well
as moors and copses. It is a paradise for birds and game.
The
Centre-Val de Loire is crossed by the longest river in France (the
Loire, 1,006 km) which experiences the most irregular flows. In
addition, many and various tributaries are added to it.
The
Centre-Val de Loire is subject to three types of floods, some of which
have marked the history of the region (e.g. 1856, 1866):
floods
of oceanic origin characterized by a slow rise in water from depressions
coming from the west;
floods of Cévennes origin characterized by
intense and long rainfall occurring in the upper basins of the Loire and
the Allier;
the so-called “mixed” floods mixing the two origins.
Environments
Beyond the images of large cereal expanses, the
Centre-Val de Loire has a great diversity of landscapes and natural
environments: forests, ponds, dry limestone grasslands, moors, peat
bogs, and the Loire and its sandbanks and alluvial forests.
The
region is home to the largest national forest in France, the Orléans
forest, which extends over more than 35,000 ha north of the Loire and
Orléans.
23% of the regional territory, i.e. 900,000 hectares, is
covered by forests and other wooded areas, mainly the forest of Orléans,
Sologne and the east of the forest of Perche. Forests are overwhelmingly
private (85%).
In addition, the region hosts more than 5% of
known wetlands in the national territory, concentrated mainly in Brenne
with its 1,300 ponds and in Sologne with its 3,000 ponds. Over the past
ten years, more than 10% of marsh or peatland areas have nevertheless
disappeared.
Wildlife
The juxtaposition of closed and open
environments favors a great biological diversity, from large mammals
such as red deer, roe deer, wild boar, woodland birds such as the
European nightjar, the black woodpecker and the gray woodpecker. The
forest has been home to osprey nesting since the 1980s, marking the
return of the raptor to France after decades of decline. Disappeared
from mainland France during the 19th century, the raptor had found a
last refuge in Corsica where only three pairs remained in 1974.
The regional wetlands contain a great diversity of insects and are an
important resource for the many species of the five classes of
vertebrates.
Flora
Although still incomplete depending on the
department, the floristic inventories of the Centre-Val de Loire show a
great diversity of environments, from large forest areas such as Sologne
to large plains such as Beauce. The Loiret department, for example, is
home to almost a third of French flora with over 1,450 species.
Protected areas
The regional territory is home to three regional
natural parks: Brenne, Loire-Anjou-Touraine and Perche.
Fragmentation of environments
The region is ecologically very
fragmented. In 2010, the DREAL and the Region launched the development
of the Regional Ecological Coherence Scheme (SRCE), aimed at restoring a
more functional ecological network in the region. In 2001, an initial
mapping of the green and blue belt and natural environments was carried
out which will make it possible to prepare the SRCE, the administrative
translation of the European green and blue belt project (pan-European,
national and regional ecological network for the six departments of this
region, under the Grenelle II law and the new national strategy for
biodiversity (2010-2011).
Facilities and operation
River
developments disrupt river dynamics with the eventual disappearance of
wetlands and alluvial valleys. For example, aggregate extraction areas
have increased by 30% in ten years (16% nationally). This disappearance
leads to the reduction of the biodiversity of the region. Fish
populations reflect the degradation of the aquatic environment and
remain mostly (61%) disturbed or degraded.
Agriculture
In
2023, Greenpeace lists 103 factory farms in the regional territory,
concentrating alone 6.8 poultry, more than 117,000 pigs, 550 dairy cows
and 2,050 calves and other cattle.
Many motorways cross the Centre-Val de Loire and connect - Paris to
Lyon (A6) - to Bordeaux (A10) - to Clermont-Ferrand (A71) - to Rennes
and Nantes (A11) - to Nevers (A77) - to Toulouse (A20). Three transverse
motorways, Orléans-Sens (A19), Vierzon-Tours-Angers (A85) and Tours-Le
Mans-Rouen (A28), complete the network.
On the rail transport
side, the regional council finances the TER Centre-Val de Loire network,
the management of which it delegates to the SNCF.
On the air
transport side, a small airport project is underway in Châteaudun.
Moreover, Grand Châteaudun has scheduled three public meetings in May on
the theme of the future of the Châteaudun aerodrome (Eure-et-Loir).
After the first three meetings which had been organized in
Cloyes-les-Trois-Rivières, Brou and Châteaudun, in October 2021, Grand
Châteaudun wishes to meet its inhabitants again in order to report on
the progress of the conversion project of the civil aerodrome of
Châteaudun (ICAO: LFOC).
Chartres Cathedral is one of the major attractions in the region, and can be seen from a distance by hikers due to the very flat terrain. It is visible from the Vélorail du Pays Chartrain, a 12.5 km round trip on an old railway line in the Centre-Val de Loire, the Paris-Chartres axis via Gallardon. The Vélorail du Pays Chartrain has participated in the craze for “original and fun means of transport” which has the “wind in its sails”. The town of Châteaudun has tourist assets with its castle, its caves, its museum of fine arts and natural history and its flea markets. In addition, the region is known throughout the world for the castles of the Loire, most of which are world heritage sites, among the best known we can mention the castle of Chambord, the castle of Chenonceau, the castle of Blois, the castle of Cheverny, the castle de Loche, Chateau de Chaumont, Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau, Chateau du Clos Lucé, Chateau d'Ussé. The region is also home to the Beauval zoo.
Blazon: In blue, three (2;1) golden lilies under a white full-length tournament collar surrounded by a twelve-fold white-red border.
Historically, the departments of the Centre-Val de Loire were made up
globally from three historical provinces:
Orleans (Loiret,
Eure-et-Loir, Loir-et-Cher);
Berry (Cher and Indre);
Touraine
(Indre-et-Loire).
These very early entered the royal domain
(Orléans having, with Paris, constituted the original nucleus of this
domain), to the formation of which they contributed very largely: the
castles of the Loire - from Gien to Chinon, in passing through Chambord,
Blois, Chenonceau, Azay-le-Rideau, La Ferté-Saint-Aubin… testify to a
common heritage.
The fire of Sunday June 20, 1723 in Châteaudun
had a big role in the history of Châteaudun, because it destroyed a
large half of the city. The fire broke out in the Faubourg
Saint-Valérien around 2 p.m. in the house of a winemaker known as Pierre
Clément dit le Beau, during a period of dry and hot weather. If several
causes were evoked during the history concerning the triggering element
of the disaster, Arnaud Carobbi showed that these hypotheses were only
rumors which had never been supported by facts. A shifting wind blowing
that day appears to have fanned the flames and spread the fire in
several different directions in the city. The fire took on a large scale
because most of the materials used for the construction of the dwellings
were combustible such as thatch or wood. In addition, the town of
Châteaudun being located on a rocky outcrop, there was no obstacle to
protect against the wind. Eventually, the disaster destroyed a thousand
buildings and left more than 80% of the population homeless.
The
extent of the damage made it possible to obtain royal aid to rebuild the
city. In total more than 900,000 books will be released by royal funds.
The architect Jules Hardouin was commissioned to draw the plans for the
new town and endowed it with an important central square (now known as
the Place du 18-Octobre) and wide streets. The city center is also
rebuilt in stone to prevent the risk of fires. The reconstruction work
began the following spring and officially ended in 1733. In fact, many
buildings were still to be built in 1773, like the town hall which was
not completed until 1779.
When the fire broke out most of the
emergency services, that is to say the officers of cavalry companies,
were attending a party at Droué and in order not to spoil the
festivities, no one warned them. The fire slows as it reaches the city
gate towers.
The terrible fire of 1723 marked the history of the
town of Châteaudun. This is why Fabien Verdier, Mayor of Châteaudun, has
decided to celebrate the 300th anniversary, which will be commemorated
from June 17 to 30, an opportunity to remember that this fire has
transformed the architecture of the city of Dunes.
The region has
seen the birth or hosted many literary celebrities: Honoré de Balzac,
René Descartes, François Rabelais, Pierre de Ronsard, George Sand,
Charles Péguy, Marcel Proust, Jules Romains, Anatole France, Max Jacob,
Maurice Genevoix, Gaston Couté , François Villon, Alain-Fournier,
Étienne Dolet, Guillaume de Lorris, Alfred de Vigny, Voltaire,
Beaumarchais, etc.
The history of the Centre-Val de Loire region is marked by a
problematic identity that stems from the different historical provinces
(Berry - Orléanais - Touraine). First, differences arose over the choice
of capital, then over the choice of name.
Orléans was chosen as
the capital in 1964, although Tours was more populous. The background
was the rivalry between Jean Royer, mayor of Tours, and Michel Debré,
mayor of Amboise; the last-named campaigned for Orléans. This incident
created tensions between these two cities.
In 1956 the name
Région Center was chosen by the Ministry of the Interior, which caused
debate as this name did not allow identification. Even if Center
preferred neither the one nor the other historical province, the reason
for the naming was rather obscure, as the region is not in the center of
France. In 1990, the regional council attempted to find a name that was
more meaningful for the country and abroad. Four proposals were made:
Val de France ('Valley of France'), Val de Loire ('Loire Valley'), Cœur
de France ('Heart of France') and Centre-Val-de-Loire ('Centre Loire
Valley'). In the autumn of 1994, MEPs voted for Centre-Val-de-Loire.
However, if one region changed its name, the law required the consent of
all other regions. The president of the Région Pays de la Loire refused
this because of the use of the name of the Loire, which meant that the
name change did not materialize. Only with the reform of the regions in
2015 was the region officially renamed Centre-Val de Loire.