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Off the Beaten Path in Pays de la Loire
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Pays de la Loire Off the Beaten Path

Les Rosiers - Pays de la Loire
Les Rosiers
by hquittner
Tips and photos of unusual, out-of-the-way Pays de la Loire attractions, posted by real travelers and locals.
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Pays de la Loire Off the Beaten PathTips 1 - 4 of 4  
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Troglodyte Dwellings
  • Tip Rating:
    • Goner
  • Updated By Goner on June 2, 2003
  • Pays de la Loire Page by Goner
    • Troglodyte House - Pays de la Loire
    Troglodyte House
    by Goner
    At the end of one of our half-day van tours we stopped for wine in a limestone cave along the Loire River. The cave was one of many called Troglodytes in the region. The history of these Troglodytes peaked my interest and this is what I found to share with you:

    The soft limestone (tufa) of the banks of rivers in Central France is perfect for cave formation. In the middle ages a quarter of the population lived in these caves and were known as troglodytes. These caves served as a refuge in times of war over the centuries. Tufa miners produced the material to build the châteaux from this area. Today, beside the mushroom growers and the wine makers, troglodyte dwellings have turned into inns, art galleries, museums and zoos. A good place to view some troglodytes are above Amboise, between the chateau and the Clos Luce. Look carefully to the left as you climb the hill. The facades and gardens make them seem like built houses until you notice that they extend into the hillsides.

    Troo on the Loir River, is without doubt one of the most picturesque of all the troglodyte villages in the Loire Valley. The village was built on a cliff that drops almost vertically down to the Loire. The village is spread over four levels, the lowest of these being on the same level as the river, the next two are tucked into the hillside and are crammed with cave dwellings and the fourth is the plateau itself. Each of the floors is cleverly connected by a labyrinth of stairs and pathways. This amazing network of fortified caves (cafforts) at Troo extends underground over an area of several kilometres. Troos can be reached from Amboise by taking Hwy D9 north to D31 north about 30 miles.

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    Luynes
  • Tip Rating:
    • tini58de
  • Updated By tini58de on August 26, 2002
  • Pays de la Loire Page by tini58de
    • Aquaeduct - Pays de la Loire
    Aquaeduct
    by tini58de
    Luynes has a castle, but by the time we went there, we were already quite satisfied with the castles we had seen. But the aqueduct from Roman times was worthwhile seeing!

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    Les Rosiers
    hquittner
  • By hquittner on June 29, 2007
  • Pays de la Loire Page by hquittner
    • Les Rosiers - Pays de la Loire
    Les Rosiers
    by hquittner
    Les Rosiers is a small town just off the North bank of thr Loire (2K pop.), that is considered an appendage of Gien (also 2K pop) on the South bank. They are joined by one of the few suspension bridges over the upper Loire which gave us access to Cunault and Fontevrault from our base above Angers. In the neat town center is a Renaissance church with a splendid Tower.

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    The Mayenne Valley
    hquittner
  • By hquittner on June 29, 2007
  • Pays de la Loire Page by hquittner
    • Mayenne Valley - Pays de la Loire
    Mayenne Valley
    by hquittner
    The Mayenne river runs through the departments of Mayenne and Maine and Loire passing the small city of Mayenne (14K pop.) and ending in te Loire at Angers. The valley has steep side and with only a few river crossings. It is surrounded by pleasant French forest and can be seen from various vantage points as here near the Chateau de Plessis at which we stayed (See Hotel Tip) in La Jaille-Yvon near where this picture was taken.

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    Things To Do
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