Gargilesse-Dampierre
One of
'Les-Plus-Beaux-Villages-de-France',Gargilesse-Dampierre
is in the department of Indre here in Centre-Val de
Loire. Sitting to the east of the valley of the
river Creuse it is classified as one of "The most
beautiful villages of France"
and it is indeed a pretty place.
Walking through this Berry village's delightful
streets you are following in the footsteps of George
Sand who fell under the charms of the village, She
has been followed by many painters who have also
been seduced by the picturesque surroundings. This
strong artistic heritage is now reflected in the
many art galleries around the village.
The back of many of its houses sit dramatically on
the edge of the river Gargilesse from where the
village takes its name.
The chateau in the
village now plays host to a contemporary
art gallery. An in-depth history of the chateau can
be seen here
The
dovecote of the chateau serves as a tourist
office during the summer months.
Another attraction in the village is the
12th century Romanesque Church of Notre Dame with
its large crypt decorated with fresco paintings from
the 12th and 15th century plus a statue of the
Virgin Mary bought back from the crusades by a Lord
of Gargilesse
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