ル・ペーシェローのおすすめウォーキング＆ハイキングルート

In the heart of the artists' village of Gargilesse stands a 12th-century Romanesque church that George Sand once called a "little masterpiece." From the outside, it appears simple, but inside you'll find more than 100 carved capitals. Once connected to the castle by an underground passage, the church still exudes the atmosphere of centuries of faith, art, and history.

No students can be found anymore, but the old college still stands. A 19th-century building that once gathered students from the villages.

The Tour du Midi marks the southern edge of the old city walls, directly where the sun shines. Guards once stood here, guarding the entrance to the city. Look closely: you can still see the narrow loopholes (meurtrières) in the wall, through which arrows, or later firearms, were aimed.

Towering over Argenton-sur-Creuse is the gilded statue of the Bonne Dame, a beacon visible from afar. What few people know is that this six-meter-high statue was dragged from the train station to the chapel in 1899 by ten oxen and thirteen horses, to the loud applause of the town's inhabitants. Today, you can hike up the hill yourself and be rewarded with a panoramic view of the Creuse valley—with the Bonne Dame still standing guard over the town.

In the Creuse valley lies the picturesque village of Gargilesse-Dampierre. The village is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. And I can see why: the romantic charm of the closely packed houses with their steep, brown-tiled roofs, which surround the castle. Truly artistic, picturesque, and charismatic. It's wonderful to take a walk in this area and have a drink at one of the restaurants. Especially the restaurant at the top, where you have a magnificent view of the village and the castle.

Dam at le Moulin Loupe.

The small stream can be crossed on a small footbridge next to the agricultural machinery lane.

Extremely colorfully painted church.