+--------------------------------------------------------------+ | BEAUTIFUL FRANCE | | | | 4,--ANJOU--TOURAINE | | | | Dotted with picturesque old castles, and rich in souvenirs | | of a glorious past, these provinces--surnamed by the | | poets "The Garden of France"--are celebrated for their | | wondrous fertility, smiling landscapes and splendid | | Renaissance mansions. A favorite resort with motorists of | | all countries, the tour known as "The Castles of the Loire" | | enjoys, in particular, a world-wide reputation. | | | | =Principal Sights=: Among the more celebrated =castles= are: | | | | _In the neighbourhood of Blois_: =Chambord= (Renaissance | | marvel), =Cheverny= and =Chaumont=. | | | | _Near Tours (in the valley of the Loire)_: =Amboise=, home | | of Charles VIII; =Langeais=, feudal castle; =Villandry=, | | =Ussé= and =Luynes=. | | | | _Valley of the Vienne_: =Chinon=, first meeting-place of | | Joan-of-Arc with Charles VII. | | | | _Valley of the Indre_: =Azay-le-Rideau=, Renaissance | | Museum; =Loches=, residence of Agnès Sorel, favorite of | | Charles VII. | | | | _Valley of the Cher_: =Chenonceau=, built on a bridge in | | the bed of the river; =Valençay=. | | | | _In the neighbourhood of Saumur and Angers_: | | =Montreuil-Bellay=, =Brissac=, =Serrant= and =Durtal=. | | | | All the great cities around here are interesting: =Angers=, | | Middle-Age castle, cathedral, "Vieux Logis" and important | | industries; =Saumur=, imposing feudal castle and town-hall; | | =Tours=, cathedral, towers of St. Martin and Charlemagne | | and great bridge over the Loire; =Blois=, magnificent | | castle (Louis XII and François I); =Orleans=, cathedral, | | Renaissance town-hall and immortal Joan-of-Arc souvenirs. | | | | ONE TRAVELS BEST IN FRANCE WHEN A MEMBER |