The Lily of the Valley
Manoir de l'Alouette datant du XVIème siècle
Manoir de l'Alouette datant du XVIème siècle - Touraine Vallée de l'Indre
Artannes-sur-Indre

The Lily of the Valley

Heritage and history
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Between crops and forest, discover the landscapes and buildings that inspired Honoré de Balzac in his novels "Le Lys dans la Vallée" and "Le Curé de Tours".

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  • La vallée du Lys - Artannes-sur-Indre

    Credit: Topoguide La Vallée du Lys - Artannes-sur-Indre - Touraine Vallée de l'Indre

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Description

  1. Prieuré de Relay
    Founded in 1100, it had 15 nuns in 1751. Some of the monastery's buildings still stand today: the church, the western building and part of the southern building. In front of this complex, on the north side, is a fine 16th-century gate.
  2. Manoir des Aubuis
    In 1651, this fief belonged to Louis le Picard, sieur de Boisleroy. On September 20, 1667, François le Picard de Philippeaux sold it to Jean Guinier. In 1865, a deed mentions a chapel. It was also known as Manoir d'Enfer, and once housed a vacation camp.
  3. Manoir de Vonnes
    In his novel Le Lys dans la Vallée, Balzac describes this château as Clochegourde, where the heroine Henriette de Morsauf lives, but he places it in place of the château de la Chevrière opposite Saché. Dating from the 17th century and used as a farm building at the beginning of the 20th century, it has been completely restored by its current owners.
  4. Rue du Bol de Lait
    In July 1830, Balzac set out to walk the 23km between Tours and Saché.A difficult challenge for an office worker like himself.But he made it, and we find him in the hamlet of Alouette, exhausted and thirsty. He stopped in front of a small house and asked Madame Martin for a bowl of milk to refresh himself. As he drank, he could see that she was raising welfare children, and how ragged and malnourished they were.Balzac admired Mother Martin's dedication, thanked her and told her he would pay her when he returned to the Alouette....Which he never did!This scene is described in detail in his novel Le médecin de campagne, published in 1833.
  5. Manoir de l'Alouette
    Mentioned by Balzac in Le Curé de Tours, this 16th-century Henri II manor house, built of limestone, is flanked by two corbelled turrets.Today, the manor is privately owned and welcomes the public in its guest rooms.
  • Departure : Parking des Gymnases
  • Arrival : Parking des Gymnases
  • Towns crossed : Artannes-sur-Indre, Pont-de-Ruan, and Druye

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