CENTRE
Are you thinking of moving to the Centre region? We hope that the following information will be of help to you but please also use the links where further details can be found.
Where is the Centre region?
Not exactly a very imaginative name and not even very accurate as this region is not really central, more north central. It has been suggested to name it Val-de-Loire, which would conjure up more appropriate images. The neighbouring regions are (clockwise): Ile-de-France, Champagne-Ardenne, Burgundy, Auvergne, Limousin, Poitou-Charentes, Western Loire, Lower Normandy and Upper Normand. There are no fewer than 6 departments : Cher (18), Eure-et-Loir (28), Indre (36), Indre-et-Loire (37), Loiret (45) and Loir-et-Cher (41). On the Loire river lies the capital Orléans, a modern and lively city, once besieged by the English and liberated by Joan of Arc there is plenty of history here. New Orleans in the USA was named after this city.
What is there in the Centre region?
This is the region abound with beautiful castles, the châteaux of the Loire Valley, and with its rich, fertile valleys also a region for wine. We cannot tell you about Centre without naming just a few of its splendid châteaux: Château de Villandry and its impressive gardens, Azay-le-Rideau which was built as a home not a fortress, Chenonceaux built across the river Cher, Blois – a bustling market town – has a château and nearby is the fantastic massive château at Chambord, arguably the finest example of a Renaissance building in all of France. For those of you interested in Leonardo da Vinci visit Clos-Lucé , where he lived from 1516 until his death in1519, now a museum dedicated to the great man. The king, who had invited him, had a summer palace in nearby Amboise.
Some of the most stunning parts of the Loire Valley can be found in Indre. In the riverside cliffs along the Loire are countless caves which are still in use as wine cellars, storage and for the cultivation of mushrooms.
The region is largely unspoilt by either tourism or industry and is great for riding or cycling. Parts are agricultural but there are also wooded areas and lakes (Indre) great for wildlife but also for lots of watersports. Another very charming feature are all the flowers which apparently attract not only butterflies but also botanists. Even though some of the region (e.g. Loiret) is close to Paris the countryside is quite peaceful.
Apart from Orléans there are some interesting cities such as Bourges, with its magnificent Gothic cathedral, and Tours with its great parks, medieval buildings, beautiful cathedral and what is more, you should not have any problems understanding the inhabitants as they speak French without any accent here. Good wines come from the area around this city.
It is a region worth considering for people who like to live in a rural area, with charming towns and villages- with their fetes and festivals- good food and wine.
Climate of Centre:
Centre has a mild climate but in summer the temperatures are often above 30°C. It can be lovely and warm in spring and autumn.
Property in the Centre region:
Although the Parisiens are buying (2nd) homes in this region, as yet not many foreigners seem to follow suit. Overall this is not an expensive area to buy property and you will probably be able to find a place to renovate. Closer to the cities you will see the prices creeping up!
Food in Centre region:
We have already mentioned the fine wines (Sancerre, Vouvray to name just two) but the Loire is also known for its food. Not just meat, game, pies and poultry here but closer to the Atlantic also lots of fish dishes. A wide variety of vegetables are used and the mouthwatering selection of sweets - fruit tarts, cakes and pancakes etc.- all slip down very nicely as do all those wonderful cheeses, e.g. Valencay, a goat's cheese and Olivet Bleu, a gorgeous blue cheese and the world famous Port Salut.
Getting to Centre:
Airports:
You can fly from the UK to Tours airport using a low cost airline (Ryanair).As always, beware of the low cost airlines, we do not know how long the service will last.
Road network:
It takes roughly 4 hours from Calais to Orléans. There are good motorways and there is a good road network.
Railway network:
Tours is served by the TGV high speed train and from Paris it takes only 1hr. or you can get off at Vendôme which is about 45min from Paris. You can also use the regular trains e.g. for Orléans.
