There’s Berry much to do within an hour’s drive from the gite! Whether you’re fond of sport or more leisurely activities, a culture vulture or a wine-lover, you won’t be disappointed! There’s a lot of information on https://www.berryprovince.com/ or at the tourist office in Vierzon.
Here are some ideas to get you started…
– After you’ve tasted Quincy and Reuilly from the Domain, you can move on to the Cave Romane de Brinay or to the Villa Quincy, two must-see sites where you’ll get to taste the Quincy/Reuilly wines made by the other winegrowers of the appellations. Then take the time to visit the Romanesque church in Brinay with its wonderful frescos, and stroll around the Jardin Labyrinthe des Vignes (the maze garden of vines), or go on one of the walks at the heart of our vineyards and wine villages.
– Our friends and neighbours make good wine too! Go to Châteaumeillant, the most recent Centre-Loire AOC to discover their wines made with Gamay and Pinot Noir grapes. If you haven’t got the time, you’ll find them at the Cave Romane in Brinay, 3Km from our gite. If you’re a gourmet, stop off to buy and hunt for truffles with a producer near Lapan (only in winter). Take a look at the musical programme of Les Bains Douches in Lignières, for a concert to liven up your evening on the way back!
– Then go east to discover the other Centre-Loire AOCs – Sancerre, Menetou-Salon, Pouilly and the Coteaux du Giénnois. Stop at the wonderful potters’ village of La Borne!
– And don’t forget the Touraine region and Valençay are close by!
– To go with your wine, don’t forget the goat cheese and potato galettes which are the musts of Berry gastronomy!!
– Hire bikes and discover the area by riding along the Berry canal!
– Go to the Indre department and discover the Rocher de la Fileuse: a superb site where you can hike for 4 hours across its hilly landscape (slopes! Yes indeed!). Take a detour in the natural park of the Brenne.
– Want to go trail running? Ask for information, there are plenty in the area!
– The Sologne region is close by for fishing, hiking, cycling in the magnificent forests! Pay a visit to the village of Nançay, where you’ll find a fabulous art gallery (Galerie Capazza).
– Not afraid of heights? It’s possible to take a tour in a microlight from Reuilly.
– There are also a few rock climbing spots in the area, just ask us!
– There are lots of chateaux and magnificent buildings in the area: don’t miss the most famous ones – Chambord and Chenonceau castles, Bourges cathedral, Jacques Cœur’s palace, Noirlac Abbey…
– The gardens are not to be outdone: Chaumont sur Loire, the gardens at Orsan Priory, the George Sand gardens…
– For music or a show, there’s the famous Printemps de Bourges festival in April and La Pratique in Vatan.
– And, last but not least, don’t forget the St Vincent festivities in Quincy and Reuilly on January 22nd or the Fête de l’Océan in Quincy the last weekend of August.
All this gives just few ideas of what you can do in and around the Berry region… There are lots of restaurants worth discovering, offering colourful cuisine! The closest to the Domain are Le Firmament, with simple and tasty cooking, on the edge of the lake, a sacred setting at Le Prieuré in Vignoux-sur-Barangeon, the iconic restaurant of Célestin Girard, Les Petits Plats de Célestin in Vierzon or Les 3 Cépages in Reuilly. The list is long, we can tell you more when you come to taste our wines!