Touraine
Touraine may also refer to Alain Touraine, French sociologist.The
Touraine is a
former province of
France. Its capital was
Tours. During the political reorganization of French territory in
1790, the Touraine was divided between the
départements of
Indre-et-Loire,
Loir-et-Cher and
Indre.
Traversed by the
Loire and its tributaries the
Cher, the
Indre and the
Vienne, the Touraine makes up a part of the
Paris Basin. It is well-known for its
viticulture. The
TGV, which connects Tours with Paris in less than an hour, has made the Touraine a place of residence for people who work in the capital but seek a different quality of life.
The Touraine takes its name from the
Celtic tribe called the
Turones. Nicknamed "The Garden of France," it was the retreat of kings at the end of the
Middle Ages and the
Renaissance.
Touraine's history cannot be told without knowing how the name came to be. A Celtic tribe called the Turons inhabited the land later known as Touraine, nearly 2000 years ago. In 1044, the control of Touraine was given to the
Angevins, who became kings of England in 1154 with the castle
Chinon as their greatest stronghold. In 1205, Phillip II Augustus of France regained Touraine. It was then that Touraine was made into a royal duchy. The next historical event was in 1429 when
Saint Joan of Arc had an historic meeting with the future
Charles VII at
Chinon. Throughout the late 1400s and 1500s, Touraine was a favorite residence of French kings and the dark and gloomy castles were converted to beautiful Renaissance châteaux. These same châteaux are very popular tourist attractions today. The royal duchy later became a province in 1584, and was divided into departments in 1790.
The Touraine is celebrated for its number of
châteaux, for example at
Amboise,
Azay-le-Rideau,
Chaumont,
Chenonceaux,
Chinon,
Langeais,
Loches,
Villandry and
Blois.
The historic region of Touraine is home to many wonders and tourist attractions. Touraine's Châteaux number over a dozen, and their regal splendor stands out even more than the lush green valleys and beautiful farmlands and scenery.
*
René Descartes*
François Rabelais*
Alfred de Vigny*
Honoré de Balzac*
Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas(the Tyneman),
Duke of Touraine, leader of the Scots' army in France during the
Hundred Year's War*
French wine.
