Visit to the Chateau at Azay le Ferron, a few miles from the gites at Yzeures,

The Chateau at Azay le Ferron is not the biggest Chateau in the region, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in charm. It is in great condition and it is possible to do a tour throughout the Chateau's interior which is extremely well preserved. It also has much of the original furniture & features. Azay le Ferron's castle has an extremely interesting history.

The Chateau is bang smack in the middle of the village of Azay le Ferron. It is an exquisite building with a rich architecture from the XV to the XVIII century. Visiting this building is like travelling through history. From the outside you can easily see all the different types of architecture that make up the present building. Each owner added something to this Chateau, a tower (built during the 15th century), a garden, an entire wing, or just internal corridors.

The history of the Chateau dates back to 1250 with the name of its first owner, Le Chevalier Banneret, Nicolas de Turpin de Crisse. The successive owners remained Barons until 1789. After that, the Chateau was bought by a businessman and later by a banker for Napoleon. In 1833, the Chateau was bought by the Luzarche family; master blacksmiths who had to donate the Chateau to the village of Toursin 1951 because they had run out of inheritors

The Chateau has 1000 Hectares of woods. There are around 20 hectares of gardens made up into various "scenes", like the French style garden, the English style garden, the vegetable garden, the rose garden (with roses going back as far as the XIX century), topiaries, vineyards, orchards and so on.

Nearby attractions:
Espace animalier de la Haute-Touche (AZAY-le-FERRON) You'll discover more than 1,000 animals from five continents in a 500 hectarea wooded park.

Maison du Parc Naturel Régional de la Brenne (Le Bouchet). The tourist information centre for The Brenne which also sells local produce like honey, goat's cheese with quality control labels and other specialities of the area like lentils and carp products.

The Anglin and Creuse Rivers, both slow moving rivers are a paradise for anglers and canoeists. There are many itineraries that allow for a safe descent going past castles, picturesque villages and watermills.

Etang de Bellebouche - Mézières-en-Brenne One of the largest and most attractive lakes in Brenne (100 ha). Known primarily for its beach and swimming, it is also a site for natural history observation.

The Brenne Nature Park A fragile, living area, arising from a local desire to work for the protection of the areas natural and cultural heritage whilst at the same time helping to develop the economy. The Brenne is of international importance or its wildlife.