Discover Ballan-Miré

Ballan-Miré combines historic buildings with cycling routes, green spaces and a digital art gallery. The Grand Moulin, the châteaux and the Église Saint-Venant draw attention to its architectural history, while walks and cycling offer other highlights. When planning your trip, you can choose between architecture, outdoor activities and virtual art.

Historic buildings on the Cher and in Ballan-Miré

The Grand Moulin was built in the middle of the Cher between 1515 and 1520 and is partially listed as a historic monument. The protected features include the mill suspended over the Cher, the access bridge leading from the mill to the bank, and the weir, lock and spillway of the hydraulic installations on the Cher.

Two châteaux offer different details to round out the picture of the area’s architectural history. The Château de la Carte was built between 1497 and 1515 and completely restored in 1879. Its entrance towers illustrate a defensive system used in 1515. Part of the Château de Rochefuret is listed as a historic monument; the protected features include the façade and roof of the central pavilion. The historical focus differs: at La Carte, it is the construction period, restoration and defensive system; at Rochefuret, it is the protection of selected architectural features.

Important for planning your visit: most of Ballan-Miré’s historic estates are privately owned and are not open to visitors. You can still admire them while walking on local trails.

Church and historic stained-glass windows

The Église Saint-Venant dates from the 12th century, while its 16th-century stained-glass windows are listed in the register of historic monuments. The church and its windows can therefore be seen as two elements of local history from different periods. The Église Saint-Venant is older than the Grand Moulin and the Château de la Carte; however, its stained-glass windows date from the 16th century.

Green spaces and cycling routes

Forests cover 25 percent of Ballan-Miré’s municipal area. Scattered green spaces offer opportunities for walking, relaxation and outdoor leisure activities. These are options in their own right alongside cycling: the Balavélo network includes four cycling routes covering a total of 18 kilometres; the cycling network also includes a section of the La Loire à vélo route. The 18 kilometres refers to the combined length of the four Balavélo routes, not the length of each individual route.

Virtual art at La Parenthèse

The Musée numérique at La Parenthèse complements the area’s architectural history and outdoor activities with a virtual art gallery. It is free and open to everyone, and presents works from numerous major partner museums. Its digital art focus differs from the historic buildings and offers you another perspective on culture in Ballan-Miré.

Discover more destinations: Chemillé-Sur-Indrois, Rillé, Tavant, Saint-Nicolas-De-Bourgueil, Reugny, Saint-Épain, Pernay, Ligré.

For the overview of the wider region: Indre-Et-Loire.