Discover Saint-Avertin

Saint-Avertin offers a variety of reasons to visit: historic buildings, contemporary art, a publicly accessible arboretum and paths through the countryside. There are also events held at different times of year. When planning your trip, you can therefore decide whether to focus on culture, nature or a particular festival.

Heritage and art

Château de Cangé was built in the 13th century and is listed as a historic monument. During the Second World War, it housed President Albert Lebrun and the services of the Presidency of the Republic for five days. The building stands in a 15-hectare park on a hillside. Here, history and landscape come together in a specific place.

The arboretum at Domaine de Cangé is also worth a visit. This landscaped collection of remarkable trees is open to the public and includes around thirty trees. A map guides visitors to the park’s nine most remarkable trees: this number therefore refers to selected stops on the route, not the entire collection.

For contemporary art, visit L’Annexe, a municipal contemporary art centre in the Jardin des Rives in Saint-Avertin. It holds a series of exhibitions each year, as well as talks, guided tours and workshops with artists. Individual exhibitions and dates may change. Each year, numerous works are also presented free of charge to the public in the Orangerie at Domaine de Cangé. The gallery mainly showcases works by local artists.

Events throughout the year

The Festival des Horizons takes place every year, free of charge, over the last weekend in June at Domaine de Cangé in Saint-Avertin. Concerts are held for two days in front of Château de Cangé. The festival also features food stalls and a craft village showcasing local creations; the stalls and crafts on offer may vary from one edition to the next. Check the dates and programme for the year of your trip.

Nature en fête is an annual garden festival at Domaine de Cangé. Regular features include a gourmet market, an organic market, arts and crafts stalls, and a wellness area. The exhibitors and programme vary from year to year. L’Intime Festival has been held every winter since 2009, featuring intimate live performances by artists on stage. Dates and performers vary with each edition. The potential reasons to visit therefore differ: June is when the Festival des Horizons takes place, while L’Intime falls in the winter season.

Trails, vineyards and the Cher

The Sentier du vieux Cher, Cangé is described as an 8.4-kilometre route with an approximate walking time of two hours. These details come from a route description dating from 2023; check current trail conditions before setting out. The route passes through meadows that serve as a stopover for migratory birds. Nearby, another hiking trail leads to the Bois des Hâtes. Its wildlife park is home to deer and old, remarkable oak trees. These two landscapes offer different destinations, and the trails should not be conflated.

Winegrowing continues on the hillside of Saint-Avertin. Touraine wines are produced there, including Noble Joué AOC.

Port-Avertin – Guinguette de Saint-Avertin offers free concerts and open-air cinema; the seasonal programme may vary. Small boats are available for trips along an arm of the Cher, though their seasonal availability may also vary. The “Au bord du Cher – Boucle vélo de la Métropole de Tours No. 5” cycling route passes by the guinguette.

The springs of Limançon

The history of the water supply is also part of the local heritage. Until 1856, water from the springs of Limançon supplied several fountains in Tours and a number of selected locations. The spring galleries have been a municipal facility since 1996 and can be visited during special openings. If you would like to include a visit, look out for one of these openings during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Avrillé-les-Ponceaux, Manthelan, Sainte-Maure-De-Touraine, Autrèche, Chenonceaux, Perrusson, Louestault, Le Louroux.

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