Through valleys and plateaux - Circuit nr. 2
Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine

Through valleys and plateaux - Circuit nr. 2

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Home of the A.O.P. goat's cheese bearing its name, Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine is a gastronomic and tourist stopover. A predominantly rural area, the town is built amphitheatrically on a limestone promontory, which served as the material for the construction of the historic town.

The hillsides, the Manse valley and its plateaus offer a picturesque charm to the commune and a varied natural heritage.

There are numerous traces of human activity dating back to Neolithic, Gallo-Roman and Merovingian times, as well as more recent ones marked by the presence of several mills, vineyard lodges, washhouses, etc.

Description

  1. Les Passerelles
    The scenic area of the Passerelles site presents the riches of the region and the secrets of A.O.P. Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine cheese-making.
  2. Robert Guignard leisure park
    Crossing part of the town leads to the banks of the Manse and to the Robert Guignard leisure park, which in recent years has become a biodiversity area (discovery trail).
  3. La Mérandière
    Shortly after the fork in the road, on the right, the Moulin de Maran still has its old well. On the other side, through the vegetation, the beautiful 15th-century buildings of the former fiefdom of La Mérandière come into view.
  4. Vineyard lodges
    Several vineyards dot the landscape, reminding us that before 1868 and the phylloxera epidemic, vines grew all around the town.
  5. Along the path, you'll see a succession of farms, including the Thibardière with its large dovecote.
  6. After the bridge over the Manse, the limestone outcrops and the path continues through the woods under a canopy of vegetation.
  7. This is the hamlet of Les Coteaux with its troglodytic houses.
  8. Beyond the calvary, the landscape opens out onto vast expanses of farmland.
  9. The Crorons farm lies on the plateau, with its iron pump and pond.
  10. Beyond the Vitriers cross, the path leads through large apple orchards.
  11. As you approach the village, you'll discover an intimate setting nestled in greenery. The Chapelle des Vierges, dedicated to Sainte Maure and Saint Britte, was built in the 19th century on the remains of a 14th-century chapel. At the front of the building, the Vierges fountain is revealed: legend has it that its water cures certain skin diseases.
  12. At the bottom of the village is a renovated 15th-century wash-house.
  13. The climb up to the historic heart of the town runs alongside a large building, the Château Gaillard, and then leads to the Place du Maréchal Leclerc, where a market is held every Friday morning. The halles (covered market) at the center of the square were built in the 15th century and restored in 1672 by Anne de Rohan; you'll need to walk around them to discover their facades and doors (especially the southern ones).
  14. On the way back to Les Passerelles, take a look at the Maison d'Estouteville, a half-timbered house and the Prieuré Saint-Mesmin,...... An urban itinerary allows you to discover all this heritage.
  • Departure : Les Passerelles
  • Arrival : Les Passerelles
  • Towns crossed : Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine

Forecast

Altimetric profile

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