In the heart of the Ridellois
Azay-le-Rideau
In the heart of the Ridellois
Medium
1h
1,6km
+11m
-11m
Loop
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Au coeur du Ridellois - Azay-le-Rideau
Credit: Au coeur du Ridellois - Azay-le-Rideau - Touraine Vallée de l'Indre
Description
Follow the ground studs and associated signs.
- The Château
- Old Market Street: This former market street is now known as the "Grande Rue", and leads to the market hall, the communal oven, the butchers and the church.
- La Halle: Built in the 19th century in front of the church, this market hall replaced a medieval market hall and the butter market square. An unsuccessful project called for the town hall and justice of the peace to be built upstairs. Instead, a hayloft caught fire on June 29, 1934, destroying the entire second floor. Today used as an exhibition hall, it was also a ballroom and village hall for many years.
- La maison des bains: In this rue du petit soleil, a 15th-century house, behind which, on the banks of the Indre, stood the "maison des bains" created at the end of the 19th century. Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel came here on several occasions. Next to the baths was another 15th-century house with a staircase tower, probably the former inn bearing the image of St Michel slaying the dragon.
- Rue des Forges: The old rue des Forges reminds us that before industrialization, metalworking was a craft. Even in the 19th century, Azay was home to numerous nail makers, locksmiths, coopers, tinsmiths, cutlers, blacksmiths and wheelwrights, all working at the forge.
- The communal oven: Rue du Four houses the communal oven, as well as a number of shops and workshops over the centuries. This east-west axis drains all shoppers from the Porte de la Varenne to the Porte du Cimetière.
- The mill: In 1255, Milets Demont, lord of Azay-Le-Rideau, granted the convent of Cormery one of the three mills he owned in Azay, along with the banality. The prior of Azay, who was the representative of the abbot of Cormery, then held the rights of banality in Azay. In 1523, local lord Gilles Berthelot bought the banal mills, commonly known as the Cormery mills, from the Reverend Abbot of Cormery.
- 19th-century bourgeois house: the sculptures on the façade are coils, a reminder of the owner's source of income. The installation of the railroad in Azay in 1877 led to the emergence of lucrative new professions.
- Departure : Chateau's parking lot
- Arrival : Chateau's parking lot
- Towns crossed : Azay-le-Rideau
Forecast
Altimetric profile
Sensitive areas
Along your trek, you will go through sensitive areas related to the presence of a specific species or environment. In these areas, an appropriate behaviour allows to contribute to their preservation. For detailed information, specific forms are accessible for each area.
The site was designated in 2005 under the Birds Directive. The Park has been coordinating the site since 2010 (initially for the period 2010-2016, then renewed for 2016-2019 and 2019-2022), in conjunction with the CPIE Touraine-Val de Loire and the Indre-et-Loire Chamber of Agriculture.
The low valleys are largely covered by natural flood meadows, which are mown and/or grazed. These meadows form large complexes that are home to rare and endangered birds: corncrake, red-backed shrike, meadowlark, spotted crake, etc.
Certain sectors are characterized by a dense bocage network, with pollarded trees surrounding the meadows (Véron bocage): this is the home of the Common Fritillary, Natterjack Toad, Great Capricorn...
Finally, the banks of the Vienne and Indre rivers are occupied by alluvial woodlands and poplar plantations.
The low valleys are largely covered by natural flood meadows, which are mown and/or grazed. These meadows form large complexes that are home to rare and endangered birds: corncrake, red-backed shrike, meadowlark, spotted crake, etc.
Certain sectors are characterized by a dense bocage network, with pollarded trees surrounding the meadows (Véron bocage): this is the home of the Common Fritillary, Natterjack Toad, Great Capricorn...
Finally, the banks of the Vienne and Indre rivers are occupied by alluvial woodlands and poplar plantations.
- Impacted practices:
- Aquatic, Land
- Sensitivity periods:
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Contact:
Information desks
4 Rue du Château, 37190 Azay-le-Rideau
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