There is so much to see and do, whether cycling and walking locally or going further afield in the Loire Valley and Vienne regions including chateaux, cathedrals, fascinating villages and old towns and there are markets throughout the area and a local Sunday market in Descartes. The chateaux at Villandry and Azay le Rideau are two of our favourite chateaux and for children there is Ussé, that tells the tale of Sleeping Beauty, and Le Rivau and its fairytale gardens!

The lake at St Cyr deserves a very special mention with its sandy beach and Haute Touche is a wildlife reserve like no other and of course Futuroscope is only half an hour away.

The picture gallery below has some of our recommendations.

  • Angles-sur-l'Anglin
    Angles-sur-l'Anglin

    Just a 25 minutes drive from Le Bouchet following a really scenic drive along the river Gartempe brings you to Angles-sur-l'Anglin, listed as one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France" and it is easy to see why.

  • Azay-le-Rideau
    Azay-le-Rideau

    The chateau at Azay-le-Rideau is not the biggest of the Loire Valley chateaux. In fact it's one of the smaller Loire chateaux.
    However, the chateau is amazing, the setting is quite wonderful and its location on the River Indre is quite the most picturesque you will find.

  • Beauval Zoo
    Beauval Zoo

    A wonderful zoo featuring more than 3,000 animals on 35 hectares, which is one of the largest animal collections in France and in Europe.
    The bird show is spectacular and mustn’t be missed.

  • Chauvigny
    Chauvigny

    Overlooking the newer lower village, the old walled city of Chauvigny actually has five ruined castles sitting on top of the monumental rock outcrop that is now home to the Geants du Ciel (Giants of the Sky) one of the best bird shows you are ever likely to come across.

  • Chenonceau
    Chenonceau

    With over 800,000 visitors a year this chateau is the most visited of the chateaux in the Loire Valley.
    The chateau is very picturesque to look at and with its location across the River Cher it is no surprise that there are more photographs of Chenonceau produced than any other chateau.

  • Clos Lucé at Amboise
    Clos Lucé at Amboise

    Apart from its own chateau the other reason for going to Amboise is to visit Clos-Lucé, the home of Leonardo da Vinci and a fascinating insight into his genius.

  • Futuroscope
    Futuroscope

    Futuroscope is a theme park like no other - based around the theme of the moving image, the park has more than twenty-five attractions and shows that take visitors on an incredible journey through new worlds, 3D experiences and interactive adventures.

  • Haute-Touche
    Haute-Touche

    Haute Touche is only half an hour away and makes for a fantastic day out. Twice as large as Whipsnade Park in the UK, at over 500 hectares it is France's largest zoo park and one of the largest in Europe. Highly recommended.

  • La Roche-Posay
    La Roche-Posay

    Only 25 minutes away, La Roche Posay is a diverse spa town well known for its skin products and health spas it also has its own racecourse, casino and golf course.

  • Le Rivau
    Le Rivau

    Le Rivau is also one of the more child friendly chateaux with a free game book that helps discover the magical world of the chateau - there's a playground area, a maze and beautiful birds together with some contemporary art scattered throughout the park which should amuse the kids - it's not every day you come across two metre tall wellies!

  • Loches
    Loches

    The medieval town of Loches sits atop of the hill overlooking the new Loches and the River Indre.
    It is a lovely place to walk around and browse in the small shops and visit the market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings before settling down in the town square with a coffee and watching the world go by.

  • St Cyr Lake
    St Cyr Lake

    Only thirty minutes away from Le Bouchet is the really wonderful lake at St Cyr.
    With its sandy beach and lovely clean water it makes an ideal location to spend the day just lounging around and relaxing or playing with the kids on the beach.

  • Tours
    Tours

    Tours, the capital of the Touraine in the Loire Valley lies between two large rivers, the Loire and the Cher and is the largest town in the Centre Region. It has a rich history and has a well-preserved heritage. It's a wonderful place to visit and walk around or shop til you drop!

  • Villandry
    Villandry

    Villandry was the last of the great Chateau built in the Loire Valley and today is one of France's most visited chateaux.
    The perfect combination for a great day out, a Chateau and spectacular gardens with a veg plot to die for!