Places Around Vertenay to Explore

 

During our time in Vertenay, we’ve had the pleasure of exploring nearby villages, lingering over restaurant meals, grabbing take-outs when hunger struck unexpectedly, and setting out on easy day trips to towns throughout the region. This blog shares some of our favorite discoveries so far, and there are many more still waiting.

We often start our mornings with a short drive into La Roche-Posay for fresh baguettes and croissants from Artisan Boulangerie Pâtisserie Mérigard. With a café crème in hand, we like to sit outside and watch the town slowly come to life, a simple ritual that never gets old.

A visit to the Spa Source La Roche-Posay is an easy next stop. Built around the town’s renowned thermal spring, the spa offers a wide range of restorative treatments, from therapeutic baths and hydrotherapy circuits to facials designed for sensitive skin. Steam rooms, and quiet relaxation areas make it an ideal place to fully unwind.

For those who enjoy being outdoors, the Golf de La Roche-Posay (Golf du Connétable) winds gently through wooded countryside, offering a peaceful and beautifully natural setting for a round.

On two wheels, we’ve spent many happy hours exploring La Voie Verte, a former railway line that is flat, paved, and completely car-free. 

It passes through a series of villages that invite lingering:

• Descartes, where you can pause in the riverside park or enjoy a relaxed meal near the water at L’Étoile d’Or.
• Le Grand-Pressigny, perfect for lunch at Brody’s, known for its excellent pizzas and standout lasagna, followed by a visit to the Prehistory Museum housed in the village’s Renaissance château.
• Boussay, a village with a quietly timeless feel. We love wandering the grounds of Château de Boussay, still owned by the same family after centuries.
• Preuilly-sur-Claise, especially lively on Thursday and Saturday mornings when the market fills the streets. After browsing, we often head to the river for a drink at the guinguette “Le Lavoir,” a traditional open-air tavern right on the water.
• Bossay-sur-Claise, a perfect place to slow down with a picnic in the park while children burn off energy at the playground.

Angles-sur-l’Anglin is not to be missed. Officially listed among the most beautiful villages in France, it blends dramatic scenery with deep history. You can explore the 14,000-year-old carvings at Roc-aux-Sorciers, or rent a canoe from La Fourmy and drift beneath the ruins of the medieval fortress. For lunch or dinner, our favorite spot is Le Goût des Mets, which offers wonderful food in a stunning setting. A walk through the village ruins before or after your meal is well worth the time.

We’ve learned, sometimes to the detriment of our hungry stomachs, that in rural France, lunch is served strictly between noon and 2:00 p.m., and on Mondays many, if not most, restaurants are closed. A little advance planning goes a long way.

For a proper evening out, Restaurant L’Image in Preuilly-sur-Claise occupies a beautifully restored coaching inn and serves excellent modern French cuisine. On Monday nights, when options are limited, we rely on the Chauffe Marcel pizza truck in the square at La Roche-Posay. In our opinion, it’s the best pizza around.

Our location makes day trips easy. The royal city of Loches is about forty minutes away, with its imposing dungeon and inviting boutiques. 

Chinon and Amboise, both roughly an hour’s drive, offer a rewarding mix of history, riverside walks, and excellent shopping areas for uniquely French finds. In Amboise, visit the Royal Château for sweeping views from its gardens, and go to Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci’s final home, where his workshops and life-sized inventions fill the grounds.

Nearby, Château de Chenonceau is unforgettable. Known as the “Ladies’ Château,” its elegant gallery stretches across the river Cher. Tour the richly preserved rooms, stroll through the gardens, or rent a rowboat to glide beneath the arches for a truly unique perspective.

We still have much left to discover, so check back often to see what else we uncover around Vertenay, and a little further afield.

Places Mentioned 

La Roche-Posay

Artisan Boulangerie Pâtisserie Mérigard

16 Boulevard Victor Hugo, 86270 La Roche-Posay, France

Driving time: 7 minute drive

Spa Source La Roche-Posay

Parc Thermal, 58 Avenue des Fontaines, 86270 La Roche-Posay, France

Driving time: 10 minute drive

Golf de La Roche-Posay (Golf du Connétable)

5 Chemin de la Tuilerie, 86270 La Roche-Posay, France

Driving time: 10 min drive

Take Out

Boucherie Charcuterie Terrasson Christophe

Traditional rotisserie chicken, roasted potatoes, and gratin dauphinois to take home.

28 Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 86270 La Roche-Posay

Chauffe Marcel Food Truck

Highly regarded local pizza food truck.

At the La Roche-Posay square on Mondays and other towns (check the Instagram)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chauffemarcel_foodtruck/

Villages and Cycling Stops

Descartes

37160 Descartes, France

Driving time: 15 minute drive

Le Grand-Pressigny

37350 Le Grand-Pressigny, France

Driving time: 15 minute drive

Boussay

37290 Boussay, France

Driving time: 12 minute drive

Preuilly-sur-Claise

37290 Preuilly-sur-Claise, France

Driving time: 15 minute drive

Bossay-sur-Claise

37290 Bossay-sur-Claise, France

Driving time: 15 minute drive

Restaurants

Restaurant L’Image

13 Place des Halles, 37290 Preuilly-sur-Claise, France

Driving time: 15 minute drive

Le Goût des Mets

86260 Angles-sur-l’Anglin, France

Driving time: 20 minute drive

Day Trips & Attractions

Angles-sur-l’Anglin

86260 Angles-sur-l’Anglin, France

Driving time: 20 minute drive

Château de Loches

37600 Loches, France

Driving time: 40 min drive

Chinon

37500 Chinon, France

Driving time: 60 min drive

Royal Château of Amboise

37400 Amboise, France

Driving time: 60 min drive

Clos Lucé

2 Rue du Clos Lucé, 37400 Amboise, France

Driving time: 60 min drive

Château de Chenonceau

37150 Chenonceaux, France

Driving time: 70 min drive