Home > Europe > France > Town House in Medieval Centre of Loire V

Town House in Medieval Centre of Loire Valley Village

Welcome to la Maison Cleargeau, previous home to the celebrated local photographer whose photos are exhibited through the village on the medieval stonewalls.

Our house is substantial, stone built with 3 large double rooms available for rent with separate kitchen and bathroom. It is in the centre of the village, opposite the abbey and with views of the grounds, adjacent to the excellent boulangerie for early morning croissants and pain au chocolat and next door to the bar du Commerce, with good value meals at lunch time and open in the evenings for aperitif.

The village has 2 further bars a tabac and post office, a pizzeria and a very good supermarket. A Thursday morning market and 3 wine makers open for tastings. There is also the Hotel de l’Ecole, which is well renown for its excellent cuisine. Lunch and evening meals need to be booked in advance.

Opposite us is the 1,000-year-old Abbey, with a front longer than Chaumont. The grounds and chapel are open to the public and during the summer months the Abbey hosts an international classical music festival with string quartets, piano recitals etc.

There is nothing better than taking an aperitif next door in the bar, wandering across the road through the abbey grounds to the concert venue and listening to Parisien musicians playing Chopin, Debussy with the cool evening air blowing through the 'menage'. Local 'champagne' is served in the interval. The concerts are always well attended and concert programmes can be viewed on the festival website 'Pontlevoy music festival'.

Maison Cleargeau' is in the process of being renovated and being returned to its original layout. Stone walls, tiled floors, beamed ceilings with open fires. It has gas central heating and a fully equipped kitchen with fridge, cooker, microwave, sink etc. Double rooms have new linen, new duvets, pillows and towels and are fresh and light. One room has an ensuite. Wifi available in the house.

This is not luxurious accommodation, this is good value, homely and clean self catering; B&B without the breakfast!; ideal for singles, couples and friends. The stairs are steep for very young children and the elderly but not impossible. I have bikes available for hire in this beautiful area of the Loire valley. Chaumont is 20 minutes away, Chenonceau 30minutes, Amboise 20minutes, Blois 25minutes and Cheverny 35minutes. All are possible by bike.

Local town of Montrichard has its popular Friday morning market with goats cheese, wines, breads, vegetables etc for sale over the streets of the centre of town. Amboise has an excellent Sunday market and Blois has its market Saturday mornings.

All 3 towns have good restaurants and bars and chateaux. There is an area for swimming in Montrichard on the River Cher and also at St. Aignan, a mediaeval town 30minutes away by car. Brand new swimming pools in both towns. Tours, our city, is 50minutes by car with excellent Opera Company and orchestra and airport for Ryanair.

Musee de Beaux Arts in Tours has some wonderful paintings and the shopping is good, H&M and Zara! with bustling student life from the university. Finally, a reminder that we are in the very heart of the Loire Valley wine area.

Every village has its vineyards, Pontlevoy has 3 with wine tastings. The well known and excellent wines in this area are Vouvray 44km, Chinon 1000km, Bourgueil 120km, Cheverny 20km, Amboise 26km, Oisly 10km and the excellent local Monthu Sur Cher 7km.

Our house offers a warm, warm welcome and a home away from home. Whether you cycle along the river path to Montrichard, visit Amboise home to Leonardo da Vinci or wine taste in Oilsy, the Maison Clergeau is a well situated, friendly home to return to. End your day siting on the landing and watching the sun set over the abbey, or outside on the terrace, drinking your local wines and sending emails to friends of your good life in Pontlevoy.