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| Centre |
| Region of Central France comprising: Cher(18), Eure-et-Loir(28), Indre(37), Indre-et-Loire (37), Loir-et-Cher(41) and Loiret(45) |
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What you find within this section
Presentation
Near Bourges three villages lay claim to being the precise geographic centre of France. The honour is generally given to Saulzais-le-Potier, a row of stone houses with a two-metre monument. The region of Centre has the reputation of being the part of France where the purest French is spoken. It is in this region that the River Allier joins the Loire, which till then is little more than a stream but soon becomes a majestic river.
Architecturally, Chartres cathedral is considered to be the best example of a Gothic cathedral anywhere, but St-Etienne de Bourges, with its 15th century stained glass and its inner aisles, is also mentionworthy. The Berry, of which Bourges is the capital, produces more than half of the country's fine china. It recently came to fame when some of its porcelain was recovered from the Titanic.
The Loire Valley may have the most sumptuous palaces in France, but it also has the highest concentration of troglodyte dwellings in Europe; their uses range from underground zoos to ordinary dwellings. Herb gardens, rose gardens, arboretums and even a garden boasting more than 600 varieties of tomato all feature here. At the Pumpkin Festival in Tranzault, Indre, gourds, pumpkins and squashes come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours at the biggest celebration of the vegetable in France.
Vouvray, Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé wines all come from vineyards near the river Loire. Some of the best wines are to be found at Bonnezeaux and at Vouvray, where they produce a very good sparkling wine. The Loire is probably better known for its wines than its cheeses but there are some remarkably good local ones. There are various types of goat cheese, including crottin de Chavignol and Ste-Maure, Olivet cheeses and of course Port-Salut. Orléans vinegar was once as famous as Dijon mustard, with more than 200 vinegar-makers and merchants working in the city. Today, there is just one producer of this traditionally made vinegar, but business is booming for Jean-François Martin.
Dominated by the majestic Loire river, the Centre region is a mosaic of landscapes as different as they are appealing. The scenery varies from rolling hills and lush river valleys, through forest and woodland just made for hiking and biking, to the myriad rivers and lakes throughout the region, used for a variety of water pursuits.
This region includes the historic cities of Chartres, Blois and Bourges. The ‘valley of the kings’ between Orleans and Tours is rightly famous for its hundreds of magnificent chateaux. Whilst the region is culturally fascinating and is of deep historical importance, it is similarly attractive for its gourmet traditions - world-renowned wines and mouth-watering food.
The Centre region boasts a temperate climate – hot, sunny summers with short, mild winters and the people are equally warm.
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