Berthenay: Heritage and the Loire à Vélo

Berthenay can be explored through its historic heritage and a cycling loop with views of the Loire and Cher. These offer two distinct focuses when planning your trip: the church, chapel and Grange aux Moines offer insights into the area’s history, while the Loire à Vélo loop puts a specific route at the heart of your visit. If you’re looking for a hotel for a trip to Berthenay, you can first decide whether you want to focus your stay on its historic buildings or on a cycling tour.

Heritage: Church, chapel and Grange aux Moines

The Church of Saint Martin contains a stained-glass window dated 1878 by Armand Clément, a student of Lobin. It depicts the charity of Saint Martin. There are also two small statues of the saint: one shows him as a bishop, the other as a soldier. The window and figures thus offer different depictions of Saint Martin.

The Chapel of La Baillardière offers a different kind of decoration. Its ceiling is made up of 174 painted wooden panels, each with its own motif. The church’s dated stained-glass window and two statues thus contrast with a chapel ceiling featuring many individual motifs. The chapel ceiling and a 17th-century staircase are protected as historic monuments.

The Grange aux Moines in Berthenay dates back to 1299 and is fully listed as a historic monument. It was listed on April 18, 2003. Historically, the Grange stored goods used to supply the Abbey of Saint-Martin de Tours. Ships carried these goods to Tours from the ports of Berthenay and Portoville. The building stands on an artificially raised mound that protected it from the waters of the Loire or the Cher. The storehouse and the mound thus tell two different stories about the building: its former function and its protection from river water.

Since Heritage Open Days in September 2022, the Grange aux Moines has been closed to visitors until a conservation programme is completed. Check current access arrangements before planning a visit.

Cycling, walking and getting there

The 14-kilometre Loire à Vélo loop passes through Berthenay and offers views of the Loire and the Cher. The route’s length and river views provide two practical points to consider when planning your ride: distance and scenery. Those interested in walking routes can explore three Ways of Saint Martin in Touraine. Walkers and visitors can discover the religious heritage, history and legends associated with him.

For train travel, Savonnières SNCF station is a useful landmark: it is 2.4 kilometres from the centre of Berthenay and lies on the Tours–Saumur–Angers–Nantes railway line. Check current train times before your trip.

Discover more destinations

Rivière, Bournan, La Croix-En-Touraine, Sorigny, Azay-sur-Indre, Saint-Ouen-Les-Vignes, Tours, Artannes-sur-Indre

For the broader travel overview: Indre-Et-Loire.